Reaper
by Rathen
Summary: Max always knew Manticore was evil. Now she, and her family of Manticore survivors must face their biggest fears. The Reapers, Manticore's most deadliest creations have come to Seattle. Will this be a fight the Transgenics can win?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Dark Angel. I DO own the Reapers and all other new characters featured in this story.**

**Chapter One**

Inside an abandoned warehouse. Several of the strip lights above them were still working. Two X4's stood back to back. One of them was badly injured. They were surrounded by a heavily armed gang of bikers. The leader of the gang caught sight of one of the X4's barcode and shouted the news to his men.

The fight began. Chains, bats, fists and boots flew into various bodies. The bikers were being beaten back despite the X4's injuries. Suddenly there was a loud crashing noise on the roof and a window above the fighting shattered. The lights went out and in the darkness, a loud, high pitch screech was heard.

The lights came back on within minutes. The bikers were picking themselves up off the floor. The door exiting the building had been burst open. The X4's were pinned, crucified on a nearby wall. They were both dead. The bikers panicked and fled the scene.

***

A few blocks away. At Jam Pony. Alec was busy boasting about the speed of his last delivery to Max and Original Cindy. Suddenly, Max and Alec shuddered and covered their ears. They shared a look of shock and concern. They made their excuses and left.

***

Moving through the city streets. Alec scanned the crowds warily. Max was doing exactly the same but was totally unsure of what was going on.

"What the hell was that?" asked Alec. The concern in his voice was only too clear.

Max shrugged. "I'm not sure but what ever it was, it was one of ours and it wasn't good."

Alec laughed slightly "You can say that again!"

***

They finally found and entered the warehouse. Seeing the X4's pinned to the wall like that made them both stop in their tracks.

Max gasped in horror "Oh my God! Who did this?"

Alec's face had drained of all colour. His eyes were locked on the X4's. "Oh Shit!"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Oh Shit! This ain't good!"

Max looked closer at the bodies. "They're X4's! There's only minor defensive wounds. That doesn't make any sense! This means they were killed before they could put up a real fight. Who can do that?"

Alec moved back toward the doorway. "We should get out of here! Now!"

"Why?" asked Max clearly worried by his tone.

"Not here! Later! We have to leave! NOW!" said Alec continuing his retreat.

Alec quickly left the warehouse, closely followed by a curious Max. They sped toward a heavily crowded market.

Alec grabbed Max's arm and looked her directly in the eyes.

"We need to split up! Make sure you go through water. It's the only way to be safe! I'll find you later!"

Max nodded, still unsure of what was happening. Alec backed away from her slowly. Just before he turned to run, he called back to her. "Max! Do not go home! Go to TC!"

Before Max could answer, Alec disappeared into the crowd and vanished from view. Max realised that something was seriously wrong and as Alec advised, she ran through a shallow river on her zigzag route to safety.

***

Max waited for a of couple hours on a high rooftop before heading for Terminal City.

Original Cindy and Logan were there already. They seemed very relived to see Max.

Logan grabbed her and hugged her tightly. "Thank God you're okay!"

OC smiled and nodded in agreement. "We were so worried about you!"

Max was even more confused now. "Why?"

"We got a call from Alec." said Logan. " He told us to keep you out of sight till he gets here and to burn the clothes your wearing."

"What?" queried Max "Why?"

"I don't know. That's all he told us. He sounded real serious though."

"And worried!" added OC "I ain't heard him like that before."

Logan stood back but kept a hold of Max's arms. "What happened today? Why would you be in this kind of serious danger?!"

Max frowned. She honestly had no idea. "I don't know!" Suddenly, her memory flashed back and she remembered the look on Alec's face in the warehouse.

"Oh my God! It's got something to do with those X4's we found."

Logan let go of Max's arms. "What X4's?"

"Just as we were finishing at work earlier. Alec and I heard a transgenic panic scream! It's too high for normal people to hear."

"That's why you covered your ears?!" added OC seeming to now understand.

Max nodded. "Yes. It hurts to hear a panic scream. Anyway, We followed the scent of the scream to it's source. It was a run down warehouse just off the main market. Inside, there was signs of a minor fight, a few chains and bats were laying on the floor. That's when we saw them. Two X4's were pinned to one of the walls. Like that."

Max pointed at crucifix that Original Cindy was wearing. "They had been killed without putting up a fight!"

Logan gasped with shock. "Two X4's were crucified?! Before they could fight back?!"

OC was equally surprised "How is that possible?"

Max shrugged her shoulders.

"It shouldn't be! Something was seriously wrong about it all. Alec knows more about what's going on. He freaked when he saw the X4's. He made us leave the scene quickly, split up and hit water. Add in the stay out of sight and burning clothes thing and we've got an extremely serious problem!"

Logan had to ask. "Why would you normally have to do that?"

Max shivered obviously, not that she was cold. "That's where it gets creepy. It's standard behaviour for hunter avoidance!"

OC gasped with shock and her eyes shot open wider than even she though possible.

"You're being hunted?! Holy Shit!

Logan grabbed both of them now. "Right! That's it! OC, get a fire going! Max, get those clothes burnt NOW!"

Max quickly changed her clothes while Logan took her clothes outside and burned them in a barrel fire OC had found outside. OC made them all coffee while they waited impatiently for Alec to show up. No-one was sure what to say or whether it is even safe to speak.

***

Alec arrived just after nightfall.

He moved quickly over toward them. "Is everyone alright?"

Max appeared behind him. She gripped his arms and spun him round to face her

"Yes. Now spill! What the hell's going on?"

Alec took a step back and cleared his throat. "We need to call a meeting. Now!"

The look of fear in Alec's eyes was more than enough to convince her. Max grabbed the tanoy in the control room and immediately summoned everyone in TC to meet in what they called the grand hall.

***

Within half an hour, the entire population of TC was gathered. Even those still living outside TC had attended. Shouts of being cramped and complaints about others standing too close or on their feet echoed around the caverness room. Max, Alec and Joshua stood on the raised platform at the end of the room. OC and Logan stood to the side.

Mole and Dix stood at the base of the platform. Mole looked seriously cheesed off at being called away from his ammo count. "What's this all about, Max?"

"Yeah! We got important stuff to do, you know!" came a call from further back.

Max looked at Alec. She felt that she should speak to the restless crowd but didn't have a clue what to say. Fortunately, Alec stepped forward and raised his hands slightly. The crowd before them grew quiet and Max felt thousands of eyes suddenly on her.

Mole and Dix had fixed their eyes directly on Max, waiting for her to speak. Max had never felt so uncomfortable in her life. She stepped forward and was about to open her mouth to speak when she felt Alec take her hand in his and draw her back. He looked deep into her eyes and smiled.

"Let me handle this!" he said softly.

Max felt strangely comforted by Alec taking the lead. He obviously knew what was going on. _Good thing too_. Thought Max. _I haven't got a clue!_

***

Alec stepped forward and cleared his throat. Max felt the eyes of the room finally shift from her to Alec. She watched in awe and respect as he took it all in his stride.

"My friends! I need you to stay quiet and listen carefully!"

"Why should we?" came a voice.

"Yeah! You ain't the boss!" said another.

Max feared Alec couldn't get them to listen but as she watched him move further toward the crowd she knew she didn't have anything to worry about.

Alec cleared his throat, loudly. "_Attention_!" he shouted, his tone demanding respect and leaving no room for argument.

Suddenly, there was a wave through the ranks of transgenics, transhumans and anomalies as one by one they took the commanded position.

Alec glared into the crowd. "When _I_ speak, you?"

"Listen!" came the unanimous call from the assembled group.

"That's right you grunts! Now let's not forget that!" commanded Alec. He began pacing the front of the platform. "We've got ourselves a visitor! One I prayed would leave us alone, _but_, we ain't been that lucky!"

Eyes started to widen throughout the crowd. A few loud gulps were heard from various places in the room.

Alec stopped dead in the middle of the platform. Lowered his head as if unsure he wanted to tell them but soon raised his head again and scanned the room, fixing as many as he could with his serious glare.

"We got ourselves a code red! I want twenty-four hour guards at _all_ access points. Nobody goes outside the gates alone and I want _everyone_ armed! Is that understood?!"

Mole moved up on to the lower step of the platform. His eyes locked with Alec's. Concern and a slight look of worry flashing across his face. "Who we expecting?"

Alec looked at Mole then back out into the crowd. "We got ourselves a Reaper!"

Mole's eyes widened with a look of such terror. Max had never seen him so frightened. Mole turned to the crowd. "You heard the man! Arm yourselves!"

Mole clapped his hands together loudly. There were startled gasps from the crowd and suddenly they were rushing, no, running to grab any weapon they could get their hands on.

The grand hall emptied faster than it had filled and soon only Max, Alec, OC, Logan and Mole remained.

Mole walked slowly up to Alec. "Are you sure it was a Reaper?"

Alec looked him dead in the eye. "Afraid so!"

Mole just shook his head sadly and slowly. Then, without another word, he turned and left. He suddenly looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

Max could almost feel the despair sweeping through Terminal City. Her mind raced through her memories for any trace of what a Reaper might be but came up empty. Logan and OC shared her concern. They were seeing panic sweep through super soldiers and they were helpless to do anything about it.

***

"What's a Reaper?" asked OC, putting voice to the question she, Max and Logan desperately needed answered. Alec stayed silent as he sat on the top step of the platform, his head now cradled in his hands.

Joshua whimpered like an injured puppy. "This bad, Little Fella! This very, very bad!"

Joshua grabbed Max and hugged her against his chest. Max knew that what ever this Reaper was, it was something that scared even the strongest of her kind.

Max pulled away from Joshua and joined Alec on the step. His face was whiter than any of the others she had seen during the meeting. Max motioned for OC, Logan and Joshua to go back to the control room.

Joshua wrapped his arms around OC and Logan. "Joshua keep you safe!" he said as he led them away.

***

"You've seen one before? Haven't you?" Max asked once she was sure they were alone.

Finally, Alec raised his head. Max felt her heart go out to him when she saw his tear streaked cheeks. "Once." he said quietly.

"My unit was on a mission in Spain. We were all wounded from a gunfight and during the night three of my squad went a.w.o.l. They just couldn't take it anymore. Just after midnight, I felt this figure moving around outside the tents. I couldn't help it, I looked."

"This dark figure was dragging the three runaways with one hand. They were all dead. General Hews told it to display them as a warning to the rest of us. It just dragged them back over to the flag pole and strung them up it, like those X4's we found today. When they were half way up the flag pole, it jumped. Didn't look like it did anything else but as it's feet touched the ground, the guts of all three runaways splashed down around it!"

"I cried out! It heard me! It moved so fast! Much faster than we can! Before I knew what was happening, it was staring into my eyes. I don't remember it's face, just it's eyes! That look of rage in it's ice blue eyes! That's not something you can forget!"

Alec paused to wipe some fresh tears away. "If it comes after us, Max, there's nothing we can do to stop it."

Max gulped loudly and wrapped her arms around Alec. He buried his head in her hair and sobbed quietly.

***

Mole was in the corner of the control room when a very worried looking OC and Logan where ushered in by Joshua. Mole, cigar in the corner of his mouth, smiled over at them. Seeing his smile hadn't worked, he walked over to them and slapped them both gently on the back.

"Lighten up you two! You're the safest people in here!"

Logan and OC shared, yet another, look of confusion.

"What do you mean?" asked Logan.

"Reaper's only hunt us! They ain't even allowed to bump into you 'ordinaries'! No offence!"

"What is a Reaper?" asked OC, determined to get an answer.

Mole almost choked. "What?" he spat out the stub of his cigar. "You don't know?"

OC shook her head. Mole was clearly surprised.

"A Reaper is a 'Rogue Element Elimination Unit! Basically, if any of us stop playing the good little soldier, they track us down and do whatever their handler told them to do to us! Usually something _real_ nasty too!"

"So…" asked OC. "If one of those nasty's finds my girl, it can't touch her if I stay between them?"

Mole just laughed. "They can move faster than your heart can beat! Even faster than the X's. If you _could_ stay between them, then yeah, it wouldn't be allowed to touch her. _But_, you ain't got a hope of making that happen. A Reaper can attack from any angle, any distance and it moves so fast, you wouldn't know it had attacked until it was already too late."

"That's great!" added Logan sarcastically. "Just great! First, Lydecker trying to round you all up for his 'Secret Army', then Ames White and his Familiars trying to kill you all off and now _this_! A psycho killer who likes crucifying anyone non-human!"

Mole's smile fell off his face. The others in the control room were stunned into silence by Logan's words. "Crucify?"

"Yeah. Max and Alec found a couple of X4's crucified earlier today. That's how Alec knew what was going on."

"I'm gonna need a bigger gun!" said Mole, halfway out the control room door.

Dix came over from the security screens. "Were they definitely crucified?"

"That's what Max and Alec told us." said OC

Dix hung his head and sighed deeply. "Then we're in deeper shit than we thought!"

"Why?" asked OC and Logan in unison.

"Each Reaper has it's own way of displaying." said Alec as he and Max entered the control room.

Max opened the door to the briefing room and motioned for the others to join her. Alec, OC, Logan, Joshua, Dix and the newly returned Mole followed her through.

_To be continued…_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Dark Angel. I DO own the Reapers and all other new characters featured in this story.**

**Chapter Two**

"How many Reapers are there?" asked Max as she took a seat and the end of the briefing table.

"Ten. All with their own display." said Alec.

"Yeah, all varying in strength too!" added Mole.

"So, which one are we dealing with?" demanded Logan.

Mole shot him a cold glare. Max cleared her throat. "Answer him!"

Mole sighed. He didn't like taking orders from an 'Ordinary' but Max _was_ the boss!

"Let's just say, it's bad!"

"Let's just nothing! Which one?"

"Omega!" said Dix. "The biggest nightmare of them all!"

"Explain!" asked Max.

Dix sighed now. He didn't want to go into too much detail. Reapers terrified him! Mole cleared his throat and stood up. He walked over to the white board in the corner of the room and started writing. As he wrote, he explained.

"Reaper's are the biggest nightmare Manticore ever thought up. A way to control the masses. Ten in total but only one female, the queen bee, you might say. She's the strongest and deadliest of them all. They all have dominant DNA too. If they breed, doesn't matter who with, the child will be one hundred percent Reaper!"

"They have morphic skin, reinforced bone mass, self protecting organs and even without a weapon, they have a thousand ways to kill you. They have so much predator in their DNA, it wouldn't surprise me if they had fangs and venom."

"What's Morphic skin?" asked OC

"It heals instantly! Cuts, bruises, stab wounds, bullet holes, you name it, it's gone almost as soon as it happens. They can also control their barcode. It only shows when they want it to." replied Dix.

Mole laughed slightly. "I'll say one thing for them though."

"And what would that be?" asked Max coldly.

"I'd hate to be a Familiar that tries to take one down!"

"Meaning?" asked Logan, not sure if he actually wanted to know.

"These Familiars are strong. Strong enough to take you X's and the Anomalies out but their no match for us Transhumans."

"And?!" snapped Max.

"A Reaper can tear a Transhuman apart blindfolded and with one hand behind it's back. Just imagine what it could do to a Familiar!"

"Maybe we should set them on White and sit back and enjoy the show!" said Alec, in a half serious tone.

"Just how would you do that?" Mole replied. "The male Reapers only listen to Omega and _she_ only obeys her handler!"

"Why don't we just take out her handler?" asked Logan.

"Are you _insane_?!" squealed Dix. "Ever heard the phrase 'Blood Lust'? 'Cause that's what _would _happen!"

"If you take out the handler without getting her to choose a new one, she would kill anyone in sight, _including_ ordinaries!" added Mole in a slightly calmer tone than Dix.

Max put her head in her hands. The more she learned about these Reapers, the less she wanted to know.

Joshua, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, finally spoke.

"Why were X4's killed?"

"Because their X's!" snapped Mole.

"No. Manticore gone two years now. Why X4's killed now? Why wait?"

Everyone raised their heads and looked over at Joshua. The big guy had a point. It was strange that the Reaper's were only now starting to clean house.

Logan got up and made his way for the door. "I'll look into it. Who were the X4's that got killed?"

"Tarn and Ruba." said Alec. His face still hadn't regained any of it's colour.

"I'll get right on it. See if something they had been doing lately might have triggered the Reapers to attack."

"Yeah! Reaper's!" added Mole. "Cause if Omega's in town, her boys wont be far behind her!"

"Yeah! If they all show up and decide we're on the menu, it's game over folks!" sighed Dix.

***

A week later, Logan was still nowhere near finding out why Tarn and Ruba had been targeted. Logan sat at a table in Crash's back room, scribbling notes on scraps of paper.

Max and OC were playing pool. Alec was sat quietly in the corner, keeping watch on the main bar room. Asha brought another pitcher of beer from the bar and rejoined Logan at the table.

Asha had already been filled in on the situation and she had called in a few favours through her S1W contacts to help Logan with his information hunt.

Asha pulled a slip of paper from her back pocket and showed it to Logan.

"Seems two transgenics, matching the X4's description, broke into a house a few weeks ago. They killed the father, mother and older brother when they tried to stop them taking their stuff. Police found the five year old daughter hiding in a crawl space covered in scratch marks. They had tried to get her too but couldn't find the way in and weren't quite able to reach her through the grate."

Logan shook his head and sighed. The others had heard Asha.

"That would put them on the target list!" said Max, bluntly.

"No, that's what put them on _Omega's_ list!" corrected Alec. "She doesn't just go after anyone! Check the family against military records. For Omega to get involved, someone high up got hurt by that!"

"Will do." said Logan, making a quick note of what Alec had just said.

Suddenly, Sketchy appeared at the opening of the back room. He grabbed Alec and Max but was too breathless to speak. He dragged them to the back door and finally managed to utter two words.

"White!" he gasped. "Outside!"

Max and Alec exchanged a 'let's get out of here' look. Logan thrust his notes into Max's hand. "We could be searched!" he said, not needing to add anymore.

***

The front door of Crash burst open as White's men flooded in. Alec kicked open the back door and he and Max fled into the night.

They rounded a corner and darted up an alleyway.

"452! 494!"

White's voice boomed up the alley. Max and Alec suddenly found themselves surrounded by White and a small army of Familiars. Too many to fight through.

"Surrender and I'll make it quick for you." said White, his tone cold and evil.

"And if we don't?" snapped Alec.

"I was hoping you would say that! 494! You always know how to make my day!"

Alec and Max stood back to back and braced themselves for battle.

The Familiars were on them. A mass of equally strong bodies pinning them down. Shock rods searing into their flesh. The darkness took Alec quickly, drowning out the pain and Familiar calls of delight at hurting Transgenics. Max saw him go down and knew she was next. The last thing she was able to do before she too passed out, was hide Logan's notes.

She went into her own darkness with a slight smile on her face. The Familiars hadn't seen her hide them. The notes, at least, where safe. As the world drifted away from her, Max felt her body laugh slightly. The last thing she heard was White's voice, overflowing with irritation that a Transgenic was smiling at him.

_A little victory_. Her subconscious told her as it took her away from the pain.

***

A dark figure on a nearby rooftop watched on silently as the two Transgenic leaders were loaded into a van and driven away into the darkness. Once the van had gone, the figure swooped down and picked up the notes from their hiding place.

***

Logan knew something was wrong as soon as he reached his desk. Joshua's old house had always been drafty but this time was different. There was a chill in the air. The hairs on the back of Logan's neck stood on end. Asha had gone straight to the kitchen to make coffee but for some reason, Logan couldn't hear her.

"Asha?" he called out. There was no reply.

Logan rushed through to the kitchen. He found Asha. She was standing perfectly still, staring at the open back door. Logan moved carefully past her and looked outside. There was no-one there.

Turning back to Asha, Logan's heart skipped a beat as he saw what she was holding.

Asha had his notes in her hand. The same notes he had given to Max!

Knowing they needed help, Logan loaded the still in shock Asha into his car and raced over to Terminal City.

***

Mole and Dix met him at the car park. Mole carried Asha inside and carefully sat her down on a chair in the briefing room. Fara, one of TC's medic's came rushing in and checked Asha over.

"Standard shock." she announced after five minutes. "Just keep her warm and calm and she'll be fine." she added before leaving again.

"She saw one! Didn't she?" asked Dix.

"I don't know. She was standing there, staring out my back door. She had these in her hand."

"So?" asked Mole bluntly.

"I gave those to _Max_!" Snapped Logan. "Asha _shouldn't_ have had them!"

Mole opened the briefing room door and shouted over to Willow, an X5 passing the security screens. "Find Max! She could be in trouble!"

"Alec was with her. They were running from White!"

Mole smiled slightly. "Now, why doesn't that surprise me!"

_To be continued…_

**AN: Okay, a few quick words. A few reviewers made some rather good points about Chapter One that I feel deserve a reply (just in case anyone else has the same queries)**

**Point 1) I agree, Alec is not normally a crier, however, when faced with an emotionally charged moment, he has been known to leak a few, eg. Rachel.**

**Point 2) Blue eyes are not generally considered scary, this is true. Except, when those blue eyes are extremely pale blue and ice like, eg. in a desent monster movie. Then, the eyes can indeed be terrifying. Also, please don't forget _what_ those eyes were attached to. There in itself lays the fear.**

**Okay, I think I've got them covered now. Feel free to ask me as many questions as you like about this story, I prefer my readers to understand my work.**


	3. Chapter 3

******Disclaimer: I do NOT own Dark Angel. I DO own the Reapers and all other new characters featured in this story.**

**Chapter Three**

"Ow!"

The shout of pain snapped Max back into reality. _What is it with White and cages?_ she thought to herself as she finally saw where she was.

"Quit it!"

Max stood up in her cage and scanned the room. There were five cages suspended several feet above the floor. A lizard Transhuman was in the one behind hers. A sleeping X series was in the cage in front of her. The other two cages were on the opposite side of the room. A sleeping Transhuman was in one and Alec was in the other. A guard was standing beneath his cage, jabbing a shock rod up toward his feet.

"I swear, I'm gonna shove that thing so far up your…"

"494!" White's voice echoed around the vast expanse of the warehouse type room. "Play nice!"

Alec glared at White. The hatred in his eyes was so clear. "Come in here and say that!"

"There will be plenty time for that later, 494! The rest of your life in fact."

A cold shiver ran the length of Max's spine as White spoke those words. Something told her that 'the rest of his life' wasn't going to be much longer.

"Fe'nos tol!" came a voice from a doorway at the far end of the room.

"Fe'nos tol!" replied White. Then, when he looked at the woman who was now approaching, he suddenly stood at what looked like 'attention'. White bowed to the woman when she finally reached him. "I had no idea _you_ would be here!"

The woman raised a hand toward White. "You deem yourself high enough to be informed?"

"No. Of course not. My apologises!"

"Haha, White's pussy whipped!" shouted Alec, clearly enjoying the view.

The woman didn't react at all to Alec's comment. White glared up at him with rage in his eyes. The woman raised her hand toward White again.

"So, what do we have here?"

White pointed to Max. "We have 452! And…" he pointed at Alec. "494!"

"Yes, I'm well aware of _them_." said the woman sharply. "I meant those." she said as she pointed at the other cages.

"A Lizard Transhuman, A Tiger type Transhuman and X6-313."

"Interesting!" sighed the woman, clearly not impressed. She walked up to Alec's cage and gazed up at him through the bars of the cage floor. "They certainly made them cute!"

Alec smiled down at her. He always did like compliments. The woman glared back at him.

"I can't stand cute!"

The woman moved over to Max's cage and studied her closely.

Three Phalanx warriors burst through the door on the near side of the room. They were laughing and joking about ripping Transgenic's heads off. One of them grabbed a shock rod and thrust it into Alec's right foot.

"OW!"

In a flash, the woman was in front of the Phalanx warriors. The one who had been shocking Alec, suddenly disarmed and pleading for mercy. The pleas were ignored and the sound of the wrist snapping echoed through the entire room.

All three warriors and White were on their knees in front of the incredibly powerful woman.

"How _dare_ you interrupt _my_ study!" yelled the woman. "I should slay you all this instant for taking such liberties!"

Instantly the pleading began again. White stayed silent. After all, he wasn't the one in trouble!

"Please, Mistress, we didn't realise you were here! We _never_ would have done anything to insult you. Please! What can we do to earn your forgiveness?"

The woman stepped back. The grin on her face growing by the instant. "You have interrupted my study, injured one of my projects and…" she looked down at her clothing. "had the nerve to bleed on my shoe!"

She smiled up at Alec, who was watching the show in utter amazement. "You! 494! What would you like to see done? What punishment would _you_ choose?"

"What's my options?" asked Alec with a smirk. He liked where this was going.

"Your only limits are your own imagination! But don't think you're getting out of that cage!"

"In that case!" Alec grinned. "I'd have him taught what the receiving end of a shock rod feels like, put in my cage for ten minutes and…" he paused flashed a wicked grin at White. "…if he survives that, lock him in a cage and treat him like you lot treat us for a day!"

Max couldn't help but smile. Alec had a wicked sense of revenge and for some reason, this powerful woman was actually listening to him. Alec flashed Max a cheeky grin along with a 'are you okay' look in his eyes.

There was a long moment of silence in the room.

The Phalanx warriors glanced worriedly at each other and looked to White for help. White knew better than to get involved, he kept his eyes fixed firmly on the ground.

"I like that idea!" the woman said finally.

"You cant _seriously_ be going to take advice from _that_!" called one of the warriors to the woman.

Wrong move! The woman walked slowly over to the man who had questioned her and punched him so hard in the face that he flew backwards, landing in a heap on the ground.

"I am Rayna of the house of Valkyrie! How _dare_ you question _me_!" shouted the woman. She pointed at the warrior she had just punched. "Take _that_ to the pit! A few hours with my pets should remind him just how low on my food chain he is!" She turned to White. "Take these _cretins _from my sight! Their insolence sickens me!"

White jumped to his feet and grabbed the Phalanx with the broken wrist. The unharmed warrior picked up her fellow warrior from the floor and dragged him out the door. White threw the Phalanx he was helping through the door and walked back over to Rayna's side.

"My apologises, Mistress Rayna! Their insolence shall not go unpunished!"

"Good! Have them all thrown in the pit! They have truly irritated me! Now be gone!" she waved White away with her hand. "I have much studying to do! _These_ creatures fascinate me and at least _they_ know when to stay silent!"

White bowed to her again and quickly left.

***

"So." Rayna said, walking over toward Max's cage. "You are the great 452!"

"Apparently." said Max.

"Good!" said Rayna. "I'm glad you weren't damaged in transit. That just wouldn't do!"

"If you say so!"

Rayna laughed. "Tell me, what do you see when you look at me?"

"What?" asked Max. This woman was seriously confusing her now.

"Do you see a threat? A friend? A stranger? What?"

"I don't know!" stated Max.

Rayna walked over to Alec's cage. She looked at him closely.

"Can I help you?" asked Alec coldly.

"Perhaps!" said Rayna. "Perhaps you can!"

"What are you talking about?" called Max from her cage.

"Tell me, what ever happened to Ben?"

Max's and Alec's eyes shot wide open. Alec swallowed hard. Max stared at the woman. "How do _you_ know about Ben?"

Rayna smiled. "I'm the Blue Lady!"

"The _what_?" asked Alec.

"She knows. Don't you 452. Or should I call you Max?"

"What? How did you know my name? How do you know about Ben? The Blue Lady?"

Rayna smiled.

"Ben was one of my 'projects'! The conclave put a transceiver in his temporal lobe. A test. To see if Transgenic's could be controlled! They gave him orders to kill people, people who were getting in the way of our plans. The poor boy carried them out perfectly. He wasn't insane at all. Just under heavy control. By the time I gained control of him, he had already killed ten, or was it eleven, people."

Rayna sighed, almost sadly. "I told the poor boy that I was the Blue Lady, come to save him. I sent him to a statue of the Virgin Mary and told him to wait there, that I would send someone to come keep him safe. I intended to go and collect him myself. To bring him back and remove that blasted implant but…" she pointed at Max. "…you beat me to him. I always wondered what happened to him."

"He's dead." Max sighed heavily. "I killed him."

"You killed _my_ Ben?" Rayna looked on the verge of tears.

"You're a Familiar. Why the hell would you care about a Transgenic?" snapped Alec.

"I am _not _a Familiar! Thank you very much! I am a _pure _blood! These snake idiots mean very little to me!" Rayna snapped back at him.

Rayna moved back over toward Max's cage. "Why did you kill him?"

"He was hurt, bad. Manticore was almost on us. He didn't want to go back."

"He _asked _you to, didn't he?" sighed Rayna. "And you did it. You saved him! From _them_!"

Max stayed silent but nodded.

Rayna smiled. "For the favour you did _my_ Ben, I will do you one in return!"

Max eyed Rayna cautiously.

"When White returns, say this word" Rayna took a piece of paper out of her pocket and showed it to Max. It said Ambrosia! "You'll all get a lovely little surprise!"

Rayna walked over to Alec's cage again. She smiled up at him. "I wonder!" she smiled again. "Are you as good a lover as _he_ was?"

Alec and Max looked at her, shock and confusion in their eyes. Rayna smiled again.

"Come now, why do you think I call him _my_ Ben?" A tear trickled down her cheek. "In memory of _him_, I give you, his obvious twin, a gift. Not for now, you'll know when. A single word, Valhalla! Don't forget it now."

Rayna wiped away the tear and left the room by the far door.

"What the…" Alec started to say.

"She's the Blue Lady!" Max stated, cutting off what Alec was about to say.

"Who?" asked Alec.

"The Blue Lady! When I found Ben again, he was in a church, offering the teeth of his victims to the statue of the Virgin Mary, the 'Blue Lady' he called her. He told me he was in love with her and she was going to protect him. I had to literally drag him out of that church. He didn't want to leave, said she was coming for him. I just thought he was insane!"

"Everyone did, Max. Even Manticore! Hell, _they_ thought it was genetic!"

"_I_ should have known he'd never do those things by choice. He told me he wasn't crazy but I didn't believe him!"

"How could you have known, Max? Like you said, you lost touch with your brothers and sisters. You didn't know what happened to _any_ of them! Don't start beating yourself up about Ben now! At least you know now that he _wasn't _crazy!"

Alec's words did their job well. Max sat there in her cage for a while in total silence as his words played over in her mind. They gave her a strange sense of comfort.

_Ben wasn't crazy! He was loved!_

Alec sat there, quietly watching Max. Relieved when he saw that smile of hers creeping across her face.

***

The near doors burst open. A swarm of Familiars flooded into the room. Each one carrying a shock rod. Alec and Max feared the worst, braced themselves for another beating. However, the Familiars weren't there for them. One of them entered a code into a panel on the far wall.

There were too many blocking Alec's view for him to see the code properly. The cages with the Transhumans in them opened, dumping the, now stunned, Transhumans on the floor. The Familiars instantly surrounded them with shock rods at the ready. Alec and Max could do nothing but watch as the clearly terrified Transhumans were marched out through the nearby door.

"We wont see them again." came a voice from the cage next to Max's.

The X6 was finally coming round. As he stood up, Max and Alec could see multiple scars and bruises scattered across his body.

"What do they do with them?" asked Alec.

"It's feeding time in the pit." said X6-313. "Name's Chip by the way."

"I'm Max," she pointed over to Alec. "That's Alec."

"Hey," said Chip happily. "You guys run Terminal City don't you?"

"She does. I just help out!" replied Alec.

"Did Gem make it? And Dalton? Are they okay?"

"Yeah! They made it! Gem had a little girl! Called her Hope!"

Chip smiled proudly. "A girl?!"

Max and Alec shared a knowing look as they realised just _who_ Chip was.

"You're daughter?" asked Alec.

"Yip! Gem was my Breeding Partner!"

"How'd you end up here?" asked Max.

"Got spotted by White on our way into Seattle. I ordered Dalton to get Gem to safety and made sure White followed _me_. Almost got away too!"

"You did good Soldier!" stated Alec, a touch of pride in his voice. "Had to fight our way out but we got them home to TC!"

"Wish I'd been there! I'm really good at fighting! A 'Chip' off the old block. That's what my handler use to call me. Kinda how I got my name!"

"I'll keep that in mind for when we get out of here!" said Alec.

"You're dreaming!" said Chip. "Only way out of these cages is at the end of a shock rod! Then it's either the training area and a beating from Familiars or lunch time in the pit!"

_To be continued…_


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Dark Angel. I DO own the Reapers and all other new characters featured in this story.**

**A/N: This chapter is brought to you early courtesy of...**

**Alec: Why are we being shown early?**

**Max: (slaps the back of Alec's head) Don't interrupt the author, ass.**

**Alec: (rubs head and smirks) Always with my ass, eh Maxie?!**

**Max: (glares at Alec) Don't call me that!**

**Alec: (smirks again) Why? Maxie! (cringes as Max raises her fist again) okay, okay, but seriously, why are we early?**

**Max: (sighs and shakes her head at Alec) If you would shut up for a minute, you'll find out.**

**Alec: (fakes a shocked look) A _whole minute_?! (smirks) okay.**

**Max: (hides a smirk) yeah, a whole minute. You ready?**

**Alec: (grins widely) I'm always ready! Ain't I Max?**

**Max: (hides a blush and quickly looks away while clearing her throat)**

**Rathen: You guys done yet?**

**Alec: (grinning at Max trying to hide) Yip!**

**Rathen: Okay, this chapter is brought to you early courtesy of the very polite request from 452max.**

**Alec: 452max? There's _another_ Max out there?! (looks suddenly nervous and gulps loudly)**

**Rathen: Shut up, Alec.**

**Chapter Four**

"Any idea where they are yet?" asked Mole for the hundredth time.

"I'm working on it." replied Logan _again_.

"You guys hungry?" asked Gem, Hope sleeping in a sling across her chest. She was pushing a trolley fill with freshly cooked food.

Mole was going to say no again but the smell of it food made his stomach growl. This time, he nodded and grabbed one of the medium sized plates. The food was gone almost as soon as he picked up the plate.

Burping quietly, he thanked Gem and put the plate back carefully. He didn't want to wake Hope.

***

"It's no good!" Logan cried out. "I just _cant_ find them!"

"She's coming round!" a voice called out from the briefing room. Logan's chair almost fell as he rushed to see to Asha. Mole and Dix were right behind him.

"Asha!" sighed Logan happily. "How do you feel?"

"What do you remember?" asked Dix, just getting the question in before Mole could ask it.

"Blue eyes! So pale, so cold!" stammered Asha! "He was huge!"

"_He_?!" squealed Dix.

"That means they're all already here!" said Mole.

"It could just be _Alpha_!" said Dix, trying to stay calm. "Alpha's _always_ near Omega!"

"How many are there?" asked Asha, rejoining the conversation.

"Ten!" said Logan calmly. "But don't worry about that now." He put a comforting hand on

Asha's shoulder. "Did he say anything to you?"

"She dropped these! That's it, that's all he said. Then he put those notes of yours in my hand and I saw his eyes. I was terrified. I wanted to run but I couldn't move!"

"Quite common!" stated Mole. "You're lucky you're an 'Ordinary'. Their not allowed to hurt you guys."

"Comforting thought." said Asha, not quite believing it.

Logan, Dix and Mole left Asha in the briefing room. Gem went in and gave her some food. Logan picked up his notes from the desk they had been sitting on.

"Question is," he started. "How did he know she had them?"

"More like, How did he know where to give them back?" added Dix.

"And _why_?" added Mole.

"Kinda creepy, don't you think?" said Gem as she came back out of the briefing room. "You've got a ton of info on them written in those notes, they found them after Max and Alec were taken and for some weird reason, they gave them _back_! Makes you wonder, doesn't it?"

It did make them wonder. And worry!

The three of them stood staring at the notes and each other as they trying desperately to figure out what was going on.

***

"Max!" called Alec.

"What is it?" said Max, a little bit sharper than she had intended.

It was growing dark. They knew this because one of the main door to the warehouse had been left open and they could see outside. White had done that earlier, an extra torture he had told them.

"There's something going on outside!" said Alec, apparently ignoring Max's irritation. "There's a lot of trucks and jeeps. Not too many people though. Wonder what's going on."

"That'll be their action practise." said Chip drowsily. "Well, that's what I've been calling it anyway. They do it every night. Pretend like their under attack to make sure their ready if it ever actually happens."

"How wonderful." sighed Max. "Their playing soldiers! Great! Can I get some sleep now?!" she said grouchily and turned back over on the bunk in her cage.

"Hey!" snapped Alec. "I was just giving you a status report! Just like you're _always_ on my case back a TC about!"

"Are you guys _together_?" asked Chip, innocently.

"_No_!" Max and Alec said in unison.

"Funny!" stated Chip as he rolled over in his bunk. "You argue like an old _married_ couple!"

Max and Alec sat bolt upright on their bunks and glared at Chip, then each other. Chip started snoring softly. Alec smirked at Max and shrugged. "Kids got a point!"

Max made a huff noise and slumped back in her bunk. Alec just sat there watching the two of them sleep. He was tired too but the soldier in him wouldn't let him rest. _You're not safe here!_ It niggled at him. _Their not safe here! Protect them… Her!_

Alec lay back down in his bunk. Not to sleep though, he could get a better view of outside when he lay flat. If only he could get them out of their cages, he could easily drive one of those jeeps. Looked armoured too. Alec saw a some Familiars climbing out of a small armour plated jeep. It was parked so close to the main doors, almost as though they were daring him to take it! _That would just piss White off perfectly._ thought Alec with a smile.

***

A strange buzzing sound broke Alec's train of thought. _What the hell?_ he thought.

"GET UP!" screamed Chip. "Get off your bunks!"

Alec leapt off his bunk and saw Max doing the same in her cage.

Suddenly, bright blue flashes of electricity spat out from the metal of the bunks.

"I see you've made friends with our new guests, 313!" said White loudly as he sauntered into the room. He had an evil glint in his eye. "The Mistress says you're mine now, 494! She's got plans for you though, 452! Big plans! 313, you're due another training session. Are you going to play nice this time?"

"You can kiss my Transgenic Ass!" called Max from her cage. She glared at White as he lorded over them. _Plans? Big Plans? What Plans? _Max's mind raced.

"I think you'll be pleasantly surprised when you see what she has in store for you 452!"

_Surprise!_ Rayna's words suddenly came flooding back into Max's mind. She glanced around the room. White was alone but he was going toward the shock rods. _Please let her have loved Ben for real!_ Max's mind pleaded. She closed her eyes and braced herself. After all, she had no idea what was about to happen.

"Ambrosia!" Max called out.

"_What_!" cried White. A look of utter shock and disbelief on his face.

Suddenly, the bottom of all the cages swung open. Being X's, Max, Alec and Chip landed easily on their feet. They charged as one, knocking White clean off his feet before he even realised what was truly happening. Unconsciousness taking him before he could even raise the alarm. Alec led the others to the jeep he had been drooling over only an hour before. Max and Chip jumped in the back as Alec put the pedal to the metal.

***

The gate guards were that use to _that_ jeep dashing about that they didn't even think twice about raising the barrier for it. One of the guards even said "Evenin sir!" as Alec sped past.

"What's this?" asked Chip as he pulled something out from the seat cushion he was sitting on. "It says Ambrosia on it!"

"Gimme that!" said Max, almost snatching it out of Chip's hands.

"Steady on, Max!" said Chip.

"Sorry!" Max said softly as she read the note Chip had found. "It's from Rayna! She's helping us again!"

"What do you mean, _again_?" asked Alec, still focusing on driving as fast as possible.

"That note she showed me inside. That's how I knew the code word to open the cells!"

"I was wondering about that." commented Alec as he swerved round a narrow corner.

"She's still helping us!" called Max. "This note was planted in the jeep, the jeep was deliberately left next to the door."

"What does it say?" asked Alec, not taking eyes off the road.

"Ambrosia, Once clear of the trees take the road only you will see. At the jeeps limit, climb the wall but do not drop. Walk it's length until you can take no more steps then leap to the water and safety beyond!"

"Cool! Anything else?" asked Chip in total amazement.

"Yeah. At dawn, from where only I know you will rest, follow your nose."

Alec laughed. "Sounds like she's even arranged breakfast! We're through the trees, Max. Now where?"

Max scanned the roads before them. Her telescopic vision picked up the very faint outline of an old road straight ahead of them. "There! That way!" she said pointing it out to Alec.

***

"Right! 452! Let's get you prepped!" said Rayna as she and her Familiar servants entered the warehouse. White was just picking himself up off the ground.

Rayna's eyes were wild with rage!

"Where are they?" she screamed at White.

"I'm sorry, Mistress. They escaped!" said White very quietly, his head bowed.

"How?" she glared at him. She threw her hands up in anger. "You imbecile!"

Rayna turned to her servants and pointed at White. "Throw him in the pit!" She moved closer to White as her servants grabbed him by the arms. "I do _not_ tolerate failure, Ames!"

"NOOOO!" cried White as Rayna's servant dragged him off toward the pit. He knew that if his fighting wasn't at it's best, he would not survive, Mistress Rayna's pit pets.

Rayna stood alone in the warehouse after White had been dragged away, kicking and screaming. A slight smile crept across her face. _Good girl, Max._ she thought happily. _That's for you, Ben. My love!_

***

"We're out of road!" called Alec as the jeep came screeching to a halt. "Where's this wall of hers?"

"Is that it?" asked Chip, pointing at the only wall he could see.

"Doesn't look very stable, Max." stated Alec.

"It does _that_ way." said Max pointing further down the wall.

"Oh, well! She's got us this far! Guess she really did love Ben!" said Alec as he led the way up on to the wall.

"Ben? There really _is _a Ben?"

"Yeah. He was my brother!" said Max.

"And my twin." added Alec as he checked his footing at the top of the wall.

"Why do you ask?" said Max, curiously.

"When I first arrived. She spoke to me alone. She asked what happened to Ben. When I told her I didn't know any Ben, she said she couldn't help me."

"Nice Gal!" added Alec. "Least you didn't get thrown in the pit! What the hell's in there anyway?"

"No idea! But whatever it is, it can take out six Transhumans in one go!" said Chip, shuddering slightly at the thought of what the monster must be like.

Alec looked down at the ground on the other side of the wall. "Wonder why she said not to jump down?" he pondered out loud. "Looks easier going than up here!"

"Hold that thought." said Max picking up a rock from the top of the wall and dropping it on to the ground.

The rock instantly burst into flames and melted into the ground. Max, Alec and Chip froze as they saw what happened.

"Well, that answers that question!" said Alec, stating the obvious.

"Wonder how many got caught out by that?" said Chip, thinking out loud.

"I doubt anyone's even got this far before." Alec hadn't meant to say that out loud. It gave them all cold shivers down their spines as his words sank in.

They reached the end of the wall just as the last rays of the sun where disappearing.

"Where's the water?" asked Chip from the back.

Alec pointed straight down. "There! Looks about thirty feet!"

"Can we make it?" asked Chip, concern clear in his voice.

"As long as we land in water! We should be alright." Alec said as he steadied himself to drop off the edge of the wall. Just as he was about the step off, Max grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back.

"Wait, Alec. Rayna said 'leap' not drop"

"You sure?"

Max pulled out the note again. "Yeah, Walk it's length until you can take no more steps then leap to the water and safety beyond!"

"If that's what the lady says!" said Alec with a smile. "Geronimo!" he called as he leapt off the wall and plummeted to the dark water below.

Max and Chip waited. Their eyes scanning the water as best they could.

_SPLASH_

"Hey! You guys coming or not?" called Alec from somewhere below them.

Max and Chip both took running starts and leapt as far from the wall as they could. They both landed in the water safely. They saw Alec sitting on the far bank shaking the water out of his hair. As they climbed out of the water and sat beside him, he pointed back across to the other side.

"Rayna sure knows this terrain!" he said gratefully.

Max and Chip looked back. Directly below where they had jumped from was a large rock slide. Max realised with horror that if Alec _had_ just stepped off, he would have most certainly been killed.

"Thank you, Rayna!" said Chip happily as if reading Max's mind.

***

Chip started yawning as they made their way across the large field next to the river. Alec looked exhausted too. _Not that he'd ever admit it. _thought Max. She scanned the almost pitch black surroundings. Her cat's eyes night vision letting her see everything perfectly. She spotted a semi-ruined farm house and signalled to the others. Chip smiled happily when he saw what Max was pointing at.

Alec hung back slightly, his eyes scanning the surrounding area for any signs of a trap. Max looked back and saw how Alec was acting. He reminded her so much of Ben when he behaved like that. She reached back and took Alec's hand in hers, her grip firm but reassuringly gentle.

At last, she felt Alec relax and he let her lead him toward the building.

Once inside, they searched the old building for a secure room to sleep in. They found the hay loft was still in one piece. It was made up of several small rooms. Chip picked one off to the side and said he was tired of people watching him sleep. Before curling up in a ball in it's corner and drifting happily off to sleep.

Alec followed Max into one of the larger rooms in the hay loft.

After all, she still had hold of his hand. Max was so happy to be free again but Alec was still cautious. Or at least, he was until Max kissed him.

Drawing her into his arms, he kissed her back, passionately. He lowered her down and they made love on the soft hay before drifting off to sleep in each others arms.

***

The morning came sharply. Max woke up to a chilled breeze blowing gently through the hay loft. Glancing around the room, she found that she was alone. After quickly dressing she went in search of Alec and Chip.

"Mornin!" said Chip as he caught sight of Max carefully making her way down the run down stairs.

"Mornin, Chip!" she glanced around the room downstairs. "Where's Alec?"

"Outside. Wanted a better idea of where we are." Chip said happily.

Max found Alec perched on top of one of the old out-buildings.

"Mornin, stranger!" she called up to him. Alec didn't reply.

Max climbed up to join him. "I said, Mornin Stranger!"

"Mornin Max!" he said finally.

Alec had a strange, far away look in his eye.

"You okay?" asked Max as she tried to get closer.

"Fine!" said Alec sharply.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing!"

"Doesn't look like nothing to me!"

"I said nothing was wrong. Jesus, Max! Why cant you just leave it at that?!"

"Fine! Be like that, then!"

Alec's eyes were focused on something far in the distance. His head was arched back slightly. His nostrils flaring.

"You smell that?" he asked her, changing the subject completely.

Max arched her head back and smelt the air.

Far in the distance, too faint for an ordinary human to detect, was the unmistakable aroma of cooking. Pork, eggs, maybe even some beef. "Hmmm!" sighed Max.

"What is it?" called Chip from the ground below them.

"Breakfast!" replied Alec happily.

"Excellent!" called Chip. "I'm starving!"

Chip went back into the house to collect his jacket and boots. Max moved away from Alec and climbed back down. Alec landed beside her. He had taken the quick way down. It was only a ten foot drop after all.

"Max." he said softly. "I'm sorry!"

"Don't worry about it!" she said.

"No. Max. I'm sorry about last night!"

Max took a step back. She hadn't been expected that one.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "Why?"

"It shouldn't have happened."

"What?" Max was truly confused now. "Why would you say that?"

"Because it's true." he said sadly. "You're with Logan."

Max felt truly bad now. In their moments of recaptured freedom. Those moments of happiness, of just being alive, she had only thought of how good it felt to be there, in that moment of security, in Alec's arms. Her mind focusing only on how good his hand felt in hers, his lips on hers, his body on top of her, his heat within her.

A sharp feeling of guilt sprang up from deep within her. She _wasn't _with Logan but that didn't meant they hadn't been talking about getting back together.

She realised that while she had truly focused only on Alec while they had made love the night before, he now probably thought she had just been using him as a substitute for Logan.

***

"Guess, Rayna was right." Chip said as they made their way up the steps to the diner.

"Follow your nose." said Max smiling. "Freedom _and_ breakfast!"

"Oh..." said Chip "How exactly are we gonna _get_ breakfast?" turning out his empty pockets.

Max sighed. "Oh. Good point."

"I got it covered." said Alec, appearing from nowhere and bounding up the steps to join them. "Just don't order too much."

They quickly moved to a booth at the back of the diner. The waitress arrived shortly after they put the menus back into the slot and took their order.

***

The food was beautiful, the portions were large and, because Alec flirted a little with the waitress, the coffee was free.

The bill, including tip and service, came to nineteen dollars and fifty cent. Alec smiled and handed over a twenty dollar bill. Chip looked at him with a proud smile. Max just looked shocked.

"Where did you get that?" she asked quietly so only Alec and Chip could hear her.

"Some drunk still passed out round the back. Don't worry, Max. I didn't take it all, he'll never even notice." Alec said, that trade mark smile of his firmly on his face.

"I gotta take care of some business." said Chip as he got up and made his way toward the gents.

Max leant across the table and took hold of Alec's hands. He tried to pull them away but Max held on. "We got 'business' to take care of too."

"No, Max, we don't!"

"Yes, Alec. We _do_!" Max said looking deep into Alec's eyes. "I'm _not_ with Logan!"

A look of surprise flashed across Alec's face. "You're _not_?!"

"No."

"Then... last night?"

"Was just between _us._ No-one else involved or _thought _about."

"In that case." Alec smiled as he leaned across the table and kissed Max passionately.

"Hey." said Chip re-appearing at the table. "Thought you guys said you _weren't_ together."

"We're not." they said together. "We're just enjoying a moment."

"Whatever." said Chip, unconvinced. "There's a payphone back there. You know anyone who'd come pick us up?"

***

Logan's car pulled up into TC's parking area and the doors flew open. Joshua rushed over and almost drowned Alec in his hug. O.C gave Max a similar greeting. Before dragging her off to Max's TC apartment to catch up. Alec and Max shared a caring look as they were pulled off in different directions.

Logan and Chip stood by the car. "Do you know an X6 called…"

"CHIP?!" Gem's voice boomed across the parking bay. "Oh my God! Chip!"

Gem was running at full speed toward him, baby Hope clutched in her arms. Chip's eyes lit up as he saw them. He took off at full speed toward them. Logan watched on as the pair fell into each others arms and kissed so passionately. Logan sighed deeply as he saw the tears flooding down their faces. Gem beamed as she introduced Chip to his daughter. Chip's happy cries echoing around them as he kissed his baby's head and Gem's lips over and over again.

Logan longed for Max to look at him like that again. _I'll talk things over with her again tomorrow. _He thought as he climbed slowly back into his car and headed home for the night. It had been a very long day. The drive to Cedar Falls and back had taken most of the day and night was growing stronger all around them.

***

Max lay on the couch in her TC apartment and sighed happily. Even the musty smell that had always annoyed her was a welcome reminder of home. _Home._ she thought happily. That word meant so much more to her now. She closed her eyes and instantly, images of Alec flashed before her eyes. Their night in the hayloft and that kiss in the diner playing over and over again, made Max sigh happily again. Something deep within her stirred. _Alec. Alec. Alec. _her mind called out for him. Max breathed deeply. Her body was calling out for him as well.

Deciding to go to him. Max stood up and moved quickly to her door. She pulled it open and almost jumped the height of herself.

Alec was standing there. His hand raised, ready to knock. He looked as startled as Max felt. A fright that quickly faded as she pulled him inside and closed the door behind him.

Their embrace was so intense, their kiss so passionate. They both knew instantly, where this was leading. She led him, mouths and eyes locked together, to the bedroom. They were still locked together as they crashed down on to her bed. Their clothes cast off within mere seconds, their hands roamed over each others bodies.

Max giggled happily as Alec kissed his way all over her body. She forcefully flipped him over and then it was her turn. She learned every inch of his body as she kissed and caressed her way over him. His lusty moans only spurring her on until he pulled her closer and she felt him sliding inside of her. Max gasped with delight and began to lower herself down further, taking in every inch until it was all within her and he was completely at her mercy.

Max raised and lowered herself on him as he clenched her buttocks firmly in his hands. He moaned happily and gasped her name. He soon flipped her over and ploughed deeply within her. Tempo and temperature increasing until they exploded as one and cried out each others names into the darkness.

_To be continued…_


	5. Chapter 5

**********Disclaimer: I do NOT own Dark Angel. I DO own the Reapers and all other new characters featured in this story.**

**AN: Sorry about the delay in posting this chapter. My internet connection kept failing on me. To make it up to you all, and all those who asked so politely for another early update, here's the next TWO chapters. **

**Chapter Five**

_KNOCK KNOCK_

Max's eyes shot open. She was still laying in Alec's arms on her bed. Alec's eyes were not only open but fixed on her door.

"You expectin' company?" asked Alec nervously.

Max knew that he really meant Logan.

_KNOCK KNOCK_

"Oh, come on, you guys!" came a female voice from the other side of the door.

Max and Alec shared a confused look. Then Alec, pulling his boxers on as he moved, went to the door and pulled it open.

Before him stood an X5 female he had been helping train the younger X's.

"Meg? What are you doing here?" he asked.

"If I didn't live next door, I'd be askin' you the same question, Alec."

Max, now fully clothed, joined them at the door. "Sorry 'bout that, Meg." Max said, slightly blushing.

"I ain't!" added Alec.

"I brought your coffee, Max." said Meg calmly. "Got you one too, Alec."

Alec looked from Max to Meg and back again. Max simply smiled and gave his cheek a kiss.

"Meg's a nice neighbour to have." she said. "Always brings me coffee in the morning."

"Cool!" said Alec, accepting the mugs Meg was offering and handing one to Max. "All I ever get is snores through the wall."

"I'll leave you to it then. See you guys later." said Meg with a smile as she left.

"I like her." said Alec as he joined Max at the table. Max shot him a look. "Not like _that_! Calm down, beautiful."

"Beautiful?"

"Yeah." Alec said smiling. "You got a problem with that?"

Max leant closer and kissed him. "Not anymore."

"So," said Max when the coffee was finished. "What did you mean then?"

"Pardon?"

"When you said you like Meg?"

"Jealous?"

"Should I be?"

"Nothing to be jealous of." said Alec honestly. "She's just one of those people that's great to have around."

"Meaning?"

"She's an awesome fighter, brilliant teacher and apparently, a fantastic neighbour too!"

***

"Finally!" announced Mole as Max entered TC briefing room.

Dix and Joshua were over in the far corner deep in conversation with Alec. Logan, Asha and O.C were sat round the table. Logan looked up at Max and smiled sweetly but Max's attention was on how Asha was looking at Alec. That look and smile on Asha's face was irritating Max. She could literally feel her blood beginning to boil.

"Hey Max."

Alec's voice drifted over from the other end of the room and, for some strange reason, instantly calmed Max's growing temper.

Max looked over at Alec. He had that trade mark smile of his.

"Hey Alec." said Max, trying desperately not to grin.

"Hey!" snapped Mole. "Can we get this meeting under way, _please_! Some of us have ammo to restock!"

***

"Mornin' Gem!"

"Oh! Mornin' Meg!" replied Gem, drifting back out of her dream world. "Hey, Meg? You heard of Reapers?"

"Who hasn't?" replied Meg.

"Do you know anything about them?"

"A little. Why?"

"Their tryna come up with a battle plan in there." said Gem pointing toward the briefing room. "I've been askin' around. Seein' if anyone knows something that might help us."

"I did raid some Manticore files a while back. I'll go see if there's anything about _them_ in it."

"Thanks!" called Gem as Meg made her way out of the control room.

It was half an hour before Meg returned. She had a smile on her face and pages in her hand. "We're in luck!" called Meg as she got closer.

***

"But that's hardly gonna help _us_ is it?!" shouted Mole as he slammed his fisted down on the table. Logan almost jumped out of his skin. _Dumb idea!_ his mind scolded him.

"Calm down, Mole." said Alec sternly as he stood up. "He's only tryna help! He wasn't to know it wouldn't work!"

Max looked at Alec and smiled. This wasn't the first time she'd seen him defend Logan but she was almost positive that this was the first time he actually meant it.

_KNOCK KNOCK_

"WHAT?!" bellowed Mole as Gem opened the door.

"HEY!" shouted Meg, coming in behind her. "Don't you shout at her!"

Mole actually stepped back in shock. Alec grinned smugly. He always loved seeing Meg at work. She was one of the few women who could put anyone in their place. She kind of reminded him of Max. Not that he would ever tell either of them that.

"Sorry!" said Mole softly.

"So you should be!" stated Meg as Gem left the room again.

Meg looked at the faces around her and shook her head slowly.

"You people!" she sighed. "In here, havin your little meetings, keepin' the rest of us totally in the dark about what the hell's goin' on!" Meg shook her head again and pointed toward the still open door. "And there's Gem, out there, askin' anyone she can get her hands on for information that might help _you_!" She pointed around the room, her hand came to a stop at Mole. "And when she finally finds something you can _use_, _YOU_, shout at her!"

Even a blind, deaf mute would have been able to tell how angry Meg was at that point. Alec was nodding, clearly impressed. Meg held up the papers she had found and threw them on the table.

"Enjoy!" she hissed. "I'm goin' to see if Gem's okay."

Meg stormed toward the door but stopped just as she reached it. She turned and glared at Mole. "I'll tell her to _expect_ an apology!"

With a slam of the door, Meg was gone again.

The briefing room stayed perfectly still and silent as they heard Meg's boots storming away through the control room and off in search of Gem.

Finally, once the coast was definitely clear, Dix spoke. "Remind me _never_ to piss her off!"

The other stayed quiet but nodded in agreement. Alec went over to Mole and patted him on the shoulder. "You do realise, she's going to kick your ass if you don't apologise to Gem!"

Mole gulped loudly. "She's packs one hell of a punch!"

"And a kick!" added Dix.

"She was a combat training unit back at Manticore!" explained Max to the now clearly confused Logan, O.C and Asha.

Mole moved quickly toward the door and already had it open before he spoke. "I'll be right back!" he said shyly as he rushed out of the room.

"Okay!" said Logan reaching forward and picking up the papers Meg had thrown on to the table. "WOW!" he added as he saw just what was on them. "Thank you Gem, Thank you Meg!"

All the other sat forward, intrigued. Logan got up and walked over to the second white board in the room and started writing. He spoke as he wrote.

"These are some Manticore files on the Reaper Units." he sounded happy as he spoke.

"All Reaper units have individual handlers, however, the Omega Unit has the ability to override any and all orders given to the others. Omega is the unit leader with Alpha as her second in command. The others are Death, Hades, Lucifer, Fiend, Dante, Brimstone, Demon and Spike. The direct use of the units name can stop an attack. However, it's noted here that only Omega, Alpha and Spike have individual looks. Seems like the others could be clones of each other. The Alpha unit will _always_ stay within proximity to Omega. The others are able to function on their own _but_ if separated from the Omega _and_ Alpha units for any extended period of time will result in pack mentality."

Logan stopped and scratched his head at that point. "What does that mean?"

"It means," said Mole coming back in the door. "That they turn savage!"

"How savage?" asked O.C.

"The Reapers were raised as a pack!" Mole said taking his seat. "Alpha and Omega are the dominate pair. Take them away and the rest go berserk! They'll tear anything or anyone apart. Either that or they'll fight with anyone put in front of them!" Mole sighed.

"Lost a few friends that way!"

"What calms them down again?" asked Max.

"Mom and Dad!"

"What?" asked O.C.

"They were raised like a pack! Wolf pack to be exact. Omega in charge, Alpha as her second and the others follow their lead."

"So Alpha is Omega's what? Back Up? Boyfriend? Mate?"

Mole's face went as pale as a lizards could. Dix and Alec were suddenly the same.

"What?" asked O.C. "Did I say something wrong?"

Alec shook his head. "No, just scary!"

"What is it?" asked Max urgently.

Alec shook his head. The atmosphere in the room had suddenly become very cold. Logan, O.C and Asha looked at each other in slight dismay.

"What is it?" asked Asha.

Alec sighed and shook his head as he lowered it into his hands. Dix slumped back in his chair, a look of fear on his face. Mole chewed nervously on his cigar.

"Would somebody tell me what the fuck is going on?!" shouted Max, slamming her hands down on to the table.

Alec raised his head slightly and looked her directly in the eye. There was a worry on his face that Max had never seen before.

"If that's happened, we're fucked!"

"If Omega and Alpha have become mates, they've had two years to reproduce! We could be looking at more than ten reapers!" Mole's voice was shallow and quiet, as if saying the words quietly enough would make it not true.

Logan scanned the pages in his hand. His eyes widened as he finally understood. He turned back to the board and added to it.

"The Alpha unit is an accelerated growth unit. Any pregnancy would come to full term within four months and the child would be battle ready by age six months. The Omega unit contains the greatest concentration of predator DNA, making her the ultimate in killing machines. The Omega unit is designed with litter capability. All tests indicate that should impregnation be required, she could carry up to six at any time."

Logan put down the pen and quickly slummed into his chair. Everyone in the room stared at the words now written on the board. Logan put his head in his hands and sighed deeply.

"If she's taken Alpha as a 'mate', we're looking at a lot more than ten reapers!"

"How many we talkin' bout?" asked Asha, her voice shaky.

"In two years? Pregnancy only lasting four months? We could be talking about anything up to an extra thirty six reapers!"

"Forty Six Reapers!" exclaimed O.C. "How many can you guys handle?"

"It would take an entire squad and a shit load of luck to take down _one_! We ain't got a hope against ten let alone _forty six_!" stated Dix, his voice cold and shaky.

"It's one hell of a shit storm comin'" added Mole. "If they've bred and get told to take out TC, there wont be anyone left breathing!"

"That's only _if_ their told to attack you guys?! Right?" asked Asha.

"With an army like _that_?! The war would be over before it started!" said Logan. "But! Asha's got a point! They have to be ordered to attack! No order, no war!"

Alec stood up, picked up the pages and the pen and added something else to the board.

_Warning! Should uncontrolled impregnation of the Omega unit occur, the resulting offspring can not be guaranteed to follow handlers orders! Due to the high concentrate of predator DNA, the offspring would most likely attack all except their pack units! DO NOT ALLOW THIS TO OCCUR!_

Alec threw down the pen and pages and left the room. Leaving the others in shock at what was now a _very_ dangerous situation. Asha stared at the board and started to cry. O.C, who also had tears in her eyes, rubbed her back.

Max quickly jumped to her feet and left the room. This situation scared her and there was now only one place she wanted to be. Only one place she knew she'd feel safe.

***

"Put your backs into it, you grunts!"

Max had found Alec in the training hall. He was quietly watching Meg putting X6's through their paces. At any normal time, Alec would have told her to ease up on the kids but this was far from normal. If these kids weren't ready, they were going to die.

"Alec!" called Max as she rushed up to him.

Alec stayed where he was and didn't turn around. He didn't need to. Max's voice told him everything he needed to know. She was upset and afraid and she needed him. He extended his arm as she reached him and drew her body in close to his own. Alec held Max tightly as her body trembled and hidden tears flowed down her cheeks before being absorbed by his top. He glared at anyone who dared to look at her right now. Any eyes glancing over, quickly looked away because of his stare.

"Right! Lesson over! Out!" called Meg from the other side of the room. "Armoury Training! NOW!"

She bowed slightly toward Alec. He nodded his gratitude in return. The lesson should have continued for at least another half hour but he and Max needed their privacy and Meg understood that. _I really like that girl_! Thought Alec as Meg and the X6's finally left.

Alec gently lifted Max's head up so he could look in her eyes. Her beautiful brown eyes were gleaming with tears but to Alec, she was still the most beautiful woman in the world. He carefully lowered his head to hers and kissed her lips tenderly.

Max responded passionately. Their kiss and embrace intensifying the longer it lasted.

"Take me, Alec!" whispered Max, her eyes pleading with his. "Make me feel safe again!"

That was exactly what Alec did! Right there on the training room floor.

***

Logan had been worried about Max. The way she fled from the briefing room had startled him. He had searched several buildings in his search for her. She would need him now more than ever. As he opened the training room door, his heart shattered.

She needed comfort alright but it wasn't Logan making her squeal on the padded floor. It wasn't him making love to her, making her feel better, safer.

Logan closed the door again quietly and tried in vain to wipe away the tears that were now streaming down his face.

As he walked away from that room, he heard her call out _his_ name. His heart hurt more than any pain his body had endured before.

_To be continued…_


	6. Chapter 6

******Disclaimer: I do NOT own Dark Angel. I DO own the Reapers and all other new characters featured in this story.**

**Chapter Six**

Everyone assembled in the briefing room at sunset. Just as Max had ordered. Frightening as these Reapers were, they still needed a plan.

"You wanna watch that, Spike too! He's one vicious son of a bitch!" said Mole, not even giving everyone the chance to sit down before blurting it out.

"What do you mean?" asked Max, finally taking her seat.

"I've seen him work!" added Mole. "Back at Manticore, years ago."

"Go on." said Max, unsure if she really wanted to hear what was going to come next.

Mole cleared his throat loudly.

"My unit was doing some weapons training in the back quad. Out of sight of you guys. We caught a glimpse of someone moving in the rear of the compound and snuck over to investigate. There was a girl. She was just sitting there staring out the rear fence. Never said a word or even moved but we got the feeling she was sad and looking for something."

Mole cleared his throat again.

"Anyway, this guard came up to her and ordered her back to training but she just sat there. The guard ordered her two more times to get back to training but she just ignored him. So, then he wrapped his rifle across the side of her head and she went down. Not for long though. It was a kind of blink and you miss it moment."

Mole paused to clear his throat again but Dix handed him a glass of water.

"Never mind your damn throat!" said Dix, annoyed.

"Reapers are scary!" stated Mole.

"Anyway, That's when we heard a growling noise. It seemed to be coming from everywhere! The 'oh so hard' guard was shitting himself big time! Two boys were moving toward him. They looked at each other then the girl. One of them rushed over to the girl and she pointed through the fence at something. He just tore the fence open and walked through the gap. The other was still closing in on the guard."

Mole took another drink of his water.

"The first boy came back through the fence with a small red ball and handed it to the girl. She got up and they walked away. The guard called after her. 'Omega! Call him off!' She didn't even break step. Not one word, just kept going. The guard had pissed his pants. We could smell it easy. He called at the boy, who was still closing in on him, 'Spike! Stand Down!' Didn't work! Spike charged him and started bouncing him off the walls, fence and anything else upright. Tore at him with teeth and claws."

"Reapers have claws?" asked Asha.

"Yes and No!" replied Mole. "Morphic skin. They can create claws, fangs, hell, even horns if they wanna!" Mole shrugged and shivered at the same time.

"Anyway," Mole continued. "The guard was being ripped apart when another voice bellowed across the rear yard. 'Omega!' don't know who it was but it worked. There was this loud growl noise and Spike just stopped. Even helped the guard back to his feet. But, when the guard tried to stagger away, Spike hit him on the side of the head. The guard went down, hard. There was a _really _loud growl then and Spike bowed his head and ran off toward it. My unit raced over to the guard and rushed him to the infirmary. It took the medics four units of blood and six hours to get that guard back on his feet."

"Note to self," said Logan. "Don't piss off Spike!"

"Note to _all_!" stated Alec. "_Don't _piss off _Reapers_!"

***

Gem was looking for Dalton. He had been watching Hope for her while she finished up in the diner and Chip was training with Meg. After a futile half hour search, she was beginning to worry.

"Dalton?" she called out into the growing desperation. "Dalton? Where are you?"

She caught sight of lights in the garage area and rushed toward them. "HELP!"

Alec and Mole spun on their heels when they heard Gem screaming. She was rushing toward them with tears streaming down her face.

"I can't find Dalton!"

"Calm down, Gem!" said Mole. "He's always around here somewhere!"

"No!" screamed Gem. "You don't understand! He was watching Hope!"

The situation instantly became more serious.

Alec, Mole and Joshua gathered others and set off in search of the two missing transgenics. Max, Gem and the newly arrived Meg, Chip and Dix started searching the nearby buildings. O.C, Asha and Logan joined in and checked along the front perimeter.

Twenty minutes went by and there was still no sign of Dalton or Hope. Almost every Transgenic in TC had now heard and were joining the search.

"HELP! HELP!"

Hundreds of Transgenics rushed over to O.C when they heard her scream. She was on the outer side of the forward most fences. An unconscious Dalton, with a still bleeding head wound, lay at her feet.

Joshua, having a first aid kit handy, was able to bring him round.

"Where's Hope?!" screamed Gem.

"She took her!" slurred Dalton.

"Who?" Demanded Max.

"That bitch from Jam Pony!" said Dalton looking directly at Alec.

Alec's eyes widened. "_HER?!_"

"The dark haired one!" sobbed Dalton. "I tried to stop her! She was too strong!"

Gem ran further out into the street. A rage growing within her like none of the others had ever seen before. "I'm gonna kill you, you _bitch_! Give me back my baby!"

Before any of the others could stop her, Gem took off into the night. Her strong maternal senses guiding her to her missing daughter and her rage growing with every step.

"I'll get her!" shouted Meg as she sped off after Gem.

The others were left with nothing to do but tend to Dalton and ensure no-one else was missing from TC. The X's and Transhumans took shifts patrolling the perimeter. No-one and nothing was getting in unnoticed or unchallenged.

***

Three in the morning came and brought with it, the return of Gem and Meg.

Mole, who hadn't left the front gateway since they left, shook his head toward the others waiting, signalling that baby Hope wasn't with them. Gem was inconsolable as Meg led her through the gates.

"I promise you Gem, you're gonna get her back!"

Joshua and Chip appeared and Chip wrapped his arms around Gem and held her closely.

"I promise, Gem!" added Meg. "Even if I have to tear this city apart doing it, Hope's comin' home!"

Meg watched sympathetically as Chip, now also crying, led the distraught Gem away. Mole and Joshua took up posts at the front gate. Meg turned toward the gate a punched it so hard that the metal almost buckled.

"There's nothing you could have done, Meg!" said Mole, offering words of comfort.

"Oh Yeah?" asked Meg. "Watch me!"

Meg opened the gate and took several steps outside the safety of TC.

Mole, Joshua and several others guarding the gate raised their weapons, ready to protect Meg should anyone try to attack.

Meg bellowed into the darkness. "You hear me, you _bitch_! _I'm_ coming to get you!"

Before those at the gate could stop her, Meg had vanished into the darkness. Mole watched in shock and awe. He slowly turned to the others.

"I almost feel sorry for that baby snatching bitch! _Almost_!"

***

The sun was barely up when a van screeched to a halt outside TC's front gate. Dix and Max were in the control room, watching on the monitors. They, and several others, rushed out to see what was going on.

"_GEM! GEM!" _came a shout from inside the van.

Gem came racing straight through the gate as she saw Meg emerge from the rear doors of the van, baby Hope clutched safely in her arms.

"HOPE!" Gem screeched happily as she scooped her baby into the biggest cuddle she could muster. Her eyes fixed on her daughter. Happy tears flooded down her cheeks. Chip was right behind Gem when he realised what was going on. He took Hope from Gem as his mate raced toward Meg, arms wide in gratitude.

"I promised you, didn't I?!" said Meg, finally pulling back from Gem bear hug of an embrace. "Brought you a present too! Wasn't my place to finish!"

Gem was about to ask what Meg meant but Meg had already disappeared back into the van. The were strange struggling noises coming from inside the van. The loud vicious sound of flesh being struck.

Meg re-appeared from the rear doors but this time she was dragging someone behind her. The Phalanx bitch!

"Dalton?" asked Meg as she saw Dalton approaching. "This her?"

Dalton nodded. "Yeah! That's _her_!"

Meg threw the Phalanx bitch at Gem's feet. "There you go, sis! Present for you!"

Gem screamed with pure maternal rage and charged at the Phalanx. Punches, kicks, bites and anything else her strength could muster. The assault was a blur of fists and feet. No-one and nothing coming to the Phalanx warriors aid. Gem beat her to within an inch of her life before her rage, and with it her strength, subsided. Meg grabbed the badly beaten Phalanx warrior by the collar of her now torn clothing and dragged her to her feet. "You want her dead, Gem?"

"She's not worth it!" sighed Gem heavily.

"Count yourself, _real_ lucky bitch!" Meg shouted into the familiars face. "She just saved your life!"

With a throw fuelled by pure rage, Meg launched the familiar back into the street. "Now go tell the rest of your scum what happens when you touch our kids!" shouted Meg. "And next time I see you!" she pointed at her enemy. "You _will_ die!"

"Now beat it! Before we change our minds!" shouted Max, now standing beside Meg.

They all stood there, watching as the clearly terrified Familiar ran off into the street of the city. As soon as she was gone from sight, Gem and Chip swept Hope away to the safety of their apartment on Oak street. Meg sighed heavily and turned to walk away.

"How did you find Hope?" asked Max.

"Just followed my nose." replied Meg, still walking away.

"Hey, Meg!" called Mole, clearly still impressed with Meg's actions and abilities. "Seemed a little on the personal side, that!"

"Maybe it is!" said Meg, just before she disappeared into on of the nearby buildings.

_To be continued…_


	7. Chapter 7

******Disclaimer: I do NOT own Dark Angel. I DO own the Reapers and all other new characters featured in this story.**

**Chapter Seven**

"Max?" called Logan as he entered the control room later that day. "Can we talk? In private?"

Max nodded but noticed how quickly Alec's head had risen when he saw Logan coming in.

Max led Logan into the briefing room. "I'm due in the training gym soon, so we'll need to make this quick, Logan."

"Ok. I just wanted to say something quickly anyway."

"And that would be?"

"I know!"

"Pardon?"

"I saw you _with_ Alec!"

"Oh! That!"

"Yes, _that_! I just wanted to let you know that it's okay! It's not like we were together. I forgive you! I'm still willing to try again, Max. To give _us_ another try!"

"You are? Wait a minute, you _forgive_ me? Logan, there's nothing to _forgive_!"

"Exactly! Clean slate! I'mwilling if you are! Are you?"

"Logan, I…"

Logan stepped forward and kissed her so quickly that Max's words were cut off at their knees. The warmth of his kiss reminded her briefly of what they once had and for a second, she kissed him back.

It was only a second but that was all it took.

When Max pulled back and turned away from Logan's smiling face, her eyes collided with a pair of golden-green eyes. Alec and Mole had chosen _that_ moment to check the white board's Reaper information and had seen the kiss.

"I forgot something." said Alec, quickly turning to leave. "I'll catch up with you later, Mole." he added before rushing out of the control room.

***

"Meg," called Alec when he found her alone in the training room, pounding a punch bag into almost oblivion. "You up for a lesson?"

Meg punched the bag so hard that it flew off the support and landed with a thud on the floor. "And just what do you think you could teach me?"

"No, I meant, could _you_ teach _me_?"

"Sure! What do you wanna know?"

"That Familiar bitch almost killed me once. I wanna make sure it can't happen again!"

Meg smiled and shook her head slightly.

"Hey, from what I heard, you were already injured that day. Besides, it takes more than strength to beat those bastards."

"How did you do it? Get Hope back from that bitch?"

"That's the secret. To beat _them_, I mean, _really_ beat them, you gotta get yourself, angry."

"Angry?"

"Yeah! _Really_ angry! You just get yourself so pissed off that you almost rampage and unleash it on them. Works every time!"

"Seriously?"

"How else do you think I got Hope back?!" asked Meg. "I mean, I know I'm good, but that was another level entirely!"

"Mole was right, wasn't he? That _was_ personal for you!"

"Yeah! It was!" said Meg, picking up the punch bag and re-setting it on it's support.

"Care to share?"

"Those bastards destroyed of my unit! We barely got out of Manticore after it blew and those shit's rounded them up!"

"Yeah," added Alec, knowing the story all too well, "We've lost a lot of good people that way!"

"So now, every time I see one of those, creeps, I unleash and show them just what my animal nature is capable of!"

"I'll need to remember that!" said Alec, smiling at the images of beaten up Familiars now playing in his mind.

"It's one of the many benefits of being part animal!" added Meg. "But, don't force it, just get real angry and aim! Then kind of sit back and watch the show."

***

Mole and Max were discussing the double threat of Familiar raids and Reapers. Mole knew better than to press Max about her little 'moment' with Logan. He was curious about Alec's reaction though, but that was for another day.

"We need to find some way of detecting them." Mole stated bluntly.

"Can't we already do that?" Max was confused again.

"Morphic skin!" said Mole. "We need to find a way past that! Otherwise we're gonna be chasing our tails."

"Any ideas?"

"Not at the moment." replied Mole. "Meg might!"

"Meg?"

"Yeah! She hacked that info from Manticore didn't she." Mole motioned toward the training room. "Maybe she saw more than she got out!"

Max nodded. "It's worth a shot."

"Anything's worth a shot right now!"

Max and Mole walked in on the strangest sight either of them had ever seen.

Alec had Meg pinned to the floor of the training room, a savage look in his eyes. Meg was laying on her back, gripping his wrists to keep his hands away from her.

"Come on, pussy!" Meg shouted. "More!"

"I'm gonna rip you apart!" yelled Alec.

"More!" shouted Meg. "Come on, pussy!"

Alec wrestled with her, twisting this way and that but still couldn't get the upper hand. Meg was wearing a beaming smile. Mole and Max rushed forward to help her but Meg shouted at them. "Back off!"

Mole instantly stepped away, having to drag Max with him.

Alec lunged his teeth toward Meg's neck but Meg twisted him around again.

"Come on Alec! You gotta do better than this!"

Alec glared at her, his strength was failing him and he hated that more than anything else. Meg seemed to know exactly what was going through his mind.

Max gasped as she heard what came out of Meg's mouth.

"You're too weak, 494! No wonder Rachel died!"

That was it!

Alec's eyes went cold, his grip tighter. Meg felt him finally taking control of the fight. With one swift, fluid movement, Alec twisted his whole body round and sent Meg flying across the room. Meg crashed into the punch bag and took it clean off it's support. Meg was on her feet in an instant but Alec was charging at her, his teeth bared and rage clearly in control. Meg smiled happily as he got closer and brushed the dust off her trousers.

"Terracotta!" Meg called out just as Alec was about to reach her.

Instantly, Alec fell to his knees, gasping for breath and rage free. Meg walked slowly over to him and patted him on the shoulder. "And now you know!"

Max and Mole raced over to them. "What the hell was _that_?" demanded Max. Her eyes flaring with anger at Meg. "How _dare_ you use Rachel against him!"

"Relax, Max!" gasped Alec. "She was teaching me!"

"Teaching you what?" asked Mole.

Alec shook his head and lay down on the mat. Meg smiled at him. "Kind of drains you at first. But like they say, practise makes perfect." She retrieved a bottle of water from her bag and passed it to Alec. "Drink. Rest. You'll be fine in a few minutes, ten at most."

***

"What were you teaching him?" asked Mole again as he followed Max and Meg out of the training room.

Meg smiled. "Feral Infusion!"

"COOL!" announced Mole.

"What's that?" asked Max.

"Pardon?" stated Meg, then she nodded slowly, understanding. "That's right, you were already out by that time."

"So?" asked Max. "What is it?"

Meg sat down on a nearby bench and took a drink from her own bottle of water. "Feral Infusion! Put simply, it's when you bring your inner animal to the surface!"

"Could you elaborate?" asked Max, curious.

"Sure." stated Meg. "With the X series, the animal is buried deep on the inside, it's abilities fused to the human side without ever really being strained. However, Manticore found that, sometimes, a soldier needs more than just strength or speed to win. It started out as a way to survive capture and torture by enemy troops but once we learned how to control it, we were able to use it whenever we needed it. It's also why the committee and the ordinary's are so afraid of us."

"What do you mean?" asked Max, not quite understanding.

Meg laughed slightly and smiled at Max.

"The animal side of an X series soldier is a primal, primitive force of nature. Once harnessed, it can be used to overpower almost _any_ enemy! However, it's almost impossible to control once unleashed. That's why I _always_ insert a 'calmer' before I train anyone in it."

"Terracotta!" stated Mole and Max in unison.

"Exactly!" replied Meg proudly. "With a 'calmer' in place, your unit can pull you back out of it once the threats over. Stops anyone else getting hurt. Mind you, once you get better at inducing it, you can actually pull yourself out of it. Still helps to have others aware of the 'calmer' just to be on the safe side."

"Is the 'calmer' the same for everyone?" asked Mole, truly intrigued.

"Yes. Simpler that way."

"Why did you throw Rachel at Alec?" demanded Max again, remembering that she was still angry about that.

"Oh, that's easy. It's his trauma!" replied Meg with a smile. "To go into Feral Infusion, you've got to get _really_ angry. His memory of Rachel is guaranteed to work every time!"

Max was about to comment but her words were cut off by the sound of smashing glass. It was coming form the training room. Meg and Max blurred into the room, with Mole mere moments behind them.

One was the top windows was broken in, glass was all over the floor. There were signs of a struggle, the weight bench was tipped over, weights and bar laying a few feet away from it. Meg punched the wall, furious. Mole and Max could do nothing but stand and stare.

Alec was missing!

***

"What do you mean? Taken?" demanded Logan.

"What else do you think I mean?" shouted Mole.

"Did you see what snatched him?" asked Dix, trying to calm the already heated situation.

"No." said Max, her voice cold and echoing of hurt.

"Don't sweat it, Boo! We'll get him back!" stated O.C as she entered the room.

O.C had rushed over as soon as she heard what had happened. It didn't matter that she had been very busy helping with TC renovations, O.C dropped everything when her Boo needed her and now was one of those times.

O.C wrapped her arms around Max and drew her friend into a much needed hug. Max returned the favour. Muttering her thanks under her breath.

Meg appeared at the doorway, her face still showing just how furious she was. She and Chip had been inspecting the training room for any clues. Chip's head was hung low.

"Bad news, I'm afraid." said Chip quietly, as if not wanting to say what he had to tell them.

"Spit it out then!" snapped Mole. "Sorry!" he quickly added when Meg scowled at him. "What did you find?"

Chip took a very deep breath and was about to answer when he felt Meg's hand on his shoulder. She smiled at Chip and motioned for him to return to Gem and Hope, who were standing at the side of the room.

"There's only one thing that could have done this." said Meg. "It happened too fast to be anything else. Alec's been snatched by a Reaper!"

Max felt her blood run cold. Alec and Reaper in the same sentence made her truly fear the worst. He had been so weak from learning Feral Infusion, he wouldn't have stood a chance and they had left him on his own! Every negative feeling Max could name flooded through her system.

_He was defenceless!_ her mind sobbed.

An icy chill seemed to sweep through the control room. Even though it was a warm summers day, everyone now felt as though their insides were made of ice.

Alec, their Alec, had been taken from right under their noses by the thing they all feared the most. They had no idea what was going to happen to him, or even if he was still alive while they feared for him.

Logan and Dix began scouring through every computer database they could get into, desperate to find some sort of clue. Mole started rounding up volunteers for a rescue mission. It surprised Max just how many were willing to go after Alec. At least thirty had stepped up to help! Meg began intensive training of everyone. They would be ready! As soon as any trace of Alec's whereabouts were found, they would be ready!

TC wanted Alec _back_!

_To be continued…_


	8. Chapter 8

**********Disclaimer: I do NOT own Dark Angel. I DO own the Reapers and all other new characters featured in this story.**

**Chapter Eight**

Alec's head felt like it was going to explode. His whole body hurt. Without opening his eyes, he began to remember what had happened. His mind whirled as it tried to keep up, it had all happened so fast.

He had been laying on the training room floor. Feeling slightly better, thanks to the water Meg had given him. The hair on the back of his neck started feeling prickly and suddenly _knew_ he wasn't alone in the room.

He had rolled over on to his back and that's when he saw them. He had just rolled out of the way in time when the glass came crashing down around him. Two figures had leapt down from the roof window to the floor, without even a pained grunt on landing. They had rushed at him and Alec had crawled, trying desperately to get away. The figures circled him, one even shoving the weight bench out of the way.

He had felt hands grabbing him and a sharp pain then nothing.

"You better not have killed him!" came a low growling voice.

"What do I look like?" came a laughing reply. "An amateur?!"

"Is he awake yet?"

Alec heard footsteps growing closer and tensed his body to strike, only to realise that he was chained to a chair. Playing safe, Alec kept his eyes shut and head down. He felt someone leaning close beside him, someone else on the other side too. They were sniffing him. _Oh Shit!_ his mind screamed. _Reapers!_

"Yeah!" came the second man's voice again. "He's awake!"

Alec slowly raised his head but just couldn't bring himself to open his eyes. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. The grip was firm but not threatening.

"You can open your eyes, X5-494. We're not going to kill you!"

"We're _not_?" the second man seemed genuinely shocked.

"Were we given the order to kill?" snapped the first man.

"No." came the reply.

"Well! There you go then! If _she_ didn't say it, we _don't_ do it!"

"Yes Sir!"

Memories of the previous Reaper meetings flashed through Alec's mind as he took stock of his situation. Two male Reapers, independent minds, one trying to push further than allowed! _I know who you are now! _his mind announced happily. Alec wasn't sure if he should be feeling happy but inside knowledge would definitely prove useful, even if he wasn't sure how yet.

"I know who you are!" Alec said as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Oh _really_?" asked the man to his left. This was the second man, Alec decided.

Alec looked him in the eye, not sure if it was the smartest thing to do with a Reaper but he had to try. "You're Spike!"

Alec then looked to the man on his right. "And you're Alpha!"

The two Reapers stepped back and looked at each other. Alec began to fear that he'd made a mistake, that they would kill him now. The two Reapers suddenly smiled and laughed loudly.

"Nice one!" announced the one on the left. "She was right! This _is_ a smart one!"

"You're correct, X5-494. I _am_ Alpha, and he _is_ indeed, Spike." said Alpha smiling.

Alpha motioned to Spike and with one swift tug from Spike's left hand, the chains shattered and fell to the floor. Alpha grabbed two chairs and brought them closer to Alec's. He and Spike sat in them and grinned at Alec.

"Now," said Alpha. "Since you know _who_ we are, we'll also assume you know _what_ we are."

Alec nodded. "Reapers!" he said quietly.

"Excellent!" announced Spike.

"And knowing what we are and what we can do…" continued Alpha. "You're not going to try anything stupid, are you?"

"Like escaping?" added Spike.

"You'd tear me to shreds!" stated Alec.

Alpha sat quietly and nodded but Spike was beaming with a huge smile.

"I like this one!" he stated.

"I heard you say, you're not going to kill me." said Alec cautiously. "What did you take me for then?"

Spike's smile grew. "See! Gets straight to the point! No begging or bargaining!"

"Does make a change!" agreed Alpha.

"We want some information from you!" stated Alpha. "But that can wait for now. You were weak when we took you. Do you need food? Fluid? Meds?"

"Pardon?" Alec was stunned. Reapers were ruthless, why were these two offering him these things.

"Oh!" stated Spike. "Don't think he trusts us, Alpha!"

"Cant say I blame him!" replied Alpha as he got up. "Spike, give me a hand here."

Spike was on his feet in a heartbeat and at Alpha's side. They pulled open a large box of rations and Alpha handed a nutrient bar to Alec while Spike pulled out some bottles of water. They took their seats again and Spike passed a bottle of water to Alec.

"Don't mind if we eat while we wait do you?" he smiled. "We missed lunch, looking for you."

Alec was stunned again but hungry too. He resisted for as long as he could but was soon tucking into the food bar and water. Alpha and Spike smiled to each other as they also ate and drank.

***

"Any sign of him yet?" asked Max for the thousandth time.

"Nothing yet." replied Logan, rather annoyed at her worried tone.

"We _have _to find him!" stated Max. "We _need_ him back!"

Logan rose from his seat, leaving Dix to double check the security feed and motioned to Max to follow him into the briefing room. At first, Max didn't want to leave the search but Logan's insistent gaze finally forced her to move.

Once in the briefing room, Logan locked the door behind them. Max glared at the locked door. Logan leant against the wall and sighed heavily.

"Why are you being like this?" he asked.

"Pardon?"

"It's almost like you regret us getting back together! Like you'd rather have Alec!"

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me…"

"I never said we were back together!" Max cut off Logan's words.

"But you kissed me!"

"No." stated Max. "_you_ kissed me!"

"You kissed me back!"

Max sighed heavily. "That was a mistake!"

"So you're choosing _him_? _Him_ over me?!" spat Logan.

"I just want him _found_ Logan!" snapped Max, unwilling to be goaded. "He was snatched by a Reaper for God's sake! He needs our help!"

"Do you love him?" demanded Logan.

Max felt the anger rising. She took several long deep breaths trying to calm down but it wasn't helping.

"Do you?" Logan asked again.

Max couldn't take it any more. Something deep inside her snapped.

"How I feel about Alec has nothing to do with this!" she almost yelled as she unlocked the door and ripped it open. "And it certainly has nothing to do with _you_!"

With a glare at her clearly jealous ex, Max stormed out of the briefing room and back to the monitors, where Dix was still looking for traces of Alec.

Logan sighed heavily, yet again, and watched Max leave. The look on her face had told him more than her words ever could. It wasn't just the room she had walked out of, it was his life too. His wrongly timed, cruel words had pushed her away from him and Logan knew, she would not be walking back any time soon, if ever.

All he could do now was try and make it up to her. Perhaps she could forgive him if he found Alec for her. Logan pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialled Asha's number. Perhaps the S1W might know something they didn't.

***

"You want any more?" asked Alpha as he put the wrappers in a nearby bin.

Spike laughed. "He just sooo domesticated!"

Alec felt much better now. He was still terrified they would kill him at any moment but at least he had a full stomach and wasn't thirsty anymore. A sickening thought suddenly occurred to Alec.

"You're not planning beating this back out of me, are you?"

"You what?!" Spike burst out laughing. "I ain't cleaning _that_ up!"

Alpha came back through from the small kitchenette and sat down again. He was smiling.

"Why would you think that?"

"You're Reapers!" replied Alec. "It's what you do!"

"Listen to the _expert_, would you?!" laughed Spike. "Thinks he knows everything!"

"I know what I've heard!" snapped Alec, instantly wishing he hadn't.

"Spike!" Alpha's voice was ice cold.

Spike, who had been rising to answer Alec's challenge, sat back down and smiled.

"Forgive him." said Alpha. "He gets a little angry when people assume they know what we'll do to them."

"Don't make excuses for me!" snapped Spike.

One glare from Alpha was all it took to silence Spike's growing rage.

"As I said," continued Alpha. "People hear our title and assume the worst! They think we're cold blooded killers that want to rip them apart or eat their children! But coming from _you_! An X5 no less, it's downright insulting!"

Alec had the decency to hang his head.

"Sorry!" he said and he meant it.

He knew exactly where Alpha was coming from. Alec felt suddenly ashamed of himself for treating the Reapers the same as Ordinary's treated his kind.

"I'm going to let that one slide." said Alpha calmly. "But don't mistake my good nature for weakness! I _am_ a Reaper after all. We may not be here to kill you, but another insult like that, will have to be punished."

Spike smiled eerily at Alec as Alpha spoke. Alec didn't even want to imagine what was going through the younger Reapers mind.

"Question time?" asked Spike, still smiling at Alec.

"Question time!" confirmed Alpha.

Alec gulped loudly. He hadn't meant to, it had just slipped out. Alpha and Spike grinned at each other and then at Alec.

"Relax!" said Spike.

"Yeah!" added Alpha. "You don't know if this is gonna hurt!"

***

"MAX!" yelled Logan, rushing back into the control room.

Max glared at him, half expecting another sniping match.

"Max!" shouted Logan again as he drew closer. "I've got a lead on Alec!"

Max's mouth dropped open. "Where? How?"

"I called Asha! Asked her for help!"

"And?!" snapped Mole, getting impatient. "What did she say?"

"The S1W were staking out a bank. The owner's skimming money from his customers. Anyway, she said she saw _Alec_! He was in a black sedan with _two _large men! She thought it might be some of White's guys so she took down the licence plate."

Mole clapped his hands happily. "Remind me not to pick on her so much!"

"I will!" stated Max as she took the number Logan had written down and handed it to Dix.

"Might take a while." stated Dix as he typed the number into his terminal.

"We'll be ready to move when you are!" Mole shouted to Max as he rushed out of the control room.

***

"Faster!" shouted Meg.

The X's were getting there but just weren't good enough yet. The Transhumans who had volunteered were getting their part easily but it would be down to the X's to make the final push.

"Come On!" shouted Meg. "You know you can do this! This is for _Alec_ remember?!"

That seemed to do the trick.

The X's were moving much faster now, working as a fluidic team too. Meg had to admit it, she was impressed.

"We've got a lead!" shouted Mole as he burst into the training room. "Few minutes and we'll know where he is!"

Meg smiled. "You heard him!"

The X's and Transhumans paired up and started checking through their kit. They were determined to be ready the second the call came through.

Suddenly, Max burst into the room. "He's in an old house on Parson Street, Sector Four! Only intact house on that street!"

"Let's go!" shouted Meg, grabbing a weapon as she rushed out of the training room.

Max felt torn, should she stay and watch over the rest? Or join the hunt for Alec?

Mole's hand on her shoulder and the beat of her heart made her choice. She grabbed a set of throwing knives and joined the hunt. _We're coming, Alec! Just hold on! We're coming!_

_To be continued…_


	9. Chapter 9

******Disclaimer: I do NOT own Dark Angel. I DO own the Reapers and all other new characters featured in this story.**

**Chapter Nine**

"Pardon?" asked Alec, not sure if he understood.

Spike backhanded him across the face but received a slap off Alpha for doing it.

"Where were you being held captive?" Alpha asked again.

"Here!" stated Alec, still not sure.

Spike was clearly fighting the urge to hit him again. Alpha nodded slowly and Alec braced himself for another vicious swing but it never came. Instead, Spike leant closer.

"Before now, idiot!"

Realisation flashed through Alec's mind. "You mean with Max?"

"Max?" asked Alpha.

"X5-452." clarified Alec.

"Yes!" Alpha almost seemed excited. "When you were captured with Max! Where were you held?"

"Why?"

"I swear to God!" Spike was seething. "Do you _want_ to get hurt?! Is that it? You some kind of pain freak?"

"Calm down, Spike!"

"Easy for you to say!"

"Shut up Soldier!"

Spike instantly snapped to attention. "Yes, Sir!"

Alpha moved closer to Alec and handed him a damp cloth. "Your mouths bleeding!"

"I noticed." replied Alec.

"Spike's sorry about that. Aren't you Spike!"

"No!" Spike replied, dropping out of soldier mode.

"I'm going to ask you one more time. Think carefully before you answer because this _is_ the six million dollar question! Spike _will_ hurt you if we don't get an answer and I _don't _want that to have to happen. Understood?"

Alec held the cloth to his aching mouth and nodded.

"Where were you being held?" Alpha asked as Spike started pacing impatiently.

Alec closed his eyes and pictured the route he, Max and Chip had taken to freedom. They had run at full speed for almost an hour and that was after half an hour racing along in a jeep. Doing the maths quickly in his head, he realised they had fled just over fifty miles when they reached the town.

Opening his eyes again, he smiled. "A secret base, just over fifty miles north east of Cedar Falls!"

"You're sure?" Alpha was delighted. Even Spike looked pleased.

Alec nodded. "Positive. It's full of Familiars though!"

"Not a problem!" announced Spike grabbing his bag.

"Thank you!" stated Alpha, grabbing his own bag. "You can go now!"

"Yeah!" added Spike "And sorry 'bout that slap!"

Alpha threw a cell phone at Alec. "A favour for a favour!"

Alec looked on shocked as the two Reapers vanished before his eyes.

***

Alec almost crapped himself as the windows and doors of the house burst open on him. Smoke grenades were billowing their noxious contents everywhere and it was getting hard to breath. Through the smoke, he could see figures appearing all around him.

"Don't shoot!" he coughed.

"ALEC!"

"Max?" Alec called back.

Suddenly a mighty force grabbed him from behind and swept him out of the front door. Alec coughed heavily and dropped to his knees trying to catch his breath. Then he finally saw them.

A group, at least thirty strong, storming the house and shouting clear as they checked each room. His family had come to rescue him. It didn't matter to them that they could be facing down Reapers, they just wanted him back. Alec smiled proudly and rolled on his back on the wet grass.

"Their gone!" he coughed. "Left about ten minutes ago."

"Did they hurt you?" Max's voice was whisper quiet.

Her form was suddenly beside him, holding him in her arms. For a second, Alec just enjoyed the feeling of being held but then images of her and Logan kissing flooded back into his mind and he moved away from her.

"Not really." he finally answered. "Just wanted information."

"About TC?" gasped Max, trying to hold him again. "Tell me you didn't tell them?!"

Alec moved away again and sat up, slowly rising to his feet now that he could breath again. "Don't think they care about TC!"

Mole appeared by Alec's side and grabbed him into a hug. "Good to see you buddy!"

"Likewise!" smiled Alec.

"So," asked Mole. "If it wasn't about TC, what was it about?"

"Where me and Max where being held!"

"Please! Tell me their goin' after Familiars?!" grinned Mole.

"I gave them the info, they rushed off in a hurry!" smiled Alec. "Sounds like it to me!"

Meg appeared out of the front door. "Someone care to explain what the hell happened here?"

Mole and Alec shared a knowing grin, then Mole went over and explained things to Meg.

"Nice one!" laughed Meg when Mole finished.

Suddenly, Max's cell phone rang. She looked at the number and sighed. It was Logan. _What does he want now?_ her mind complained as another groan escaped her mouth.

Mole, Alec and Meg were busy loading the others back into the vans when Alec felt a cold chill run down his spine. Something was wrong. Glancing up, he saw that Meg was feeling it too.

They turned and spoke as one. "Max? What's wrong?"

Alec felt his heart in his throat. Max was so pale she was almost pure white. If that wasn't bad enough, her hands were shaking. Whatever this was, it was _bad_!

Alec moved the second he saw Max's knees start to give. He caught her just before she hit the ground. Meg grabbed the phone and held it to her ear.

"What's goin' on?" she asked. "Oh my God!"

Everyone was staring at Meg now! Except Alec, he was too concerned about Max.

"What's wrong Meg?" asked Mole, climbing out the van again.

Meg shut the phone and handed it back to the now more stable Max. She rushed toward the driver seat of her van and Max and Alec leapt into the other one.

"What's goin' on, Meg?" Demanded Mole from behind the passenger seat.

"Remember how you said those long range cameras were essential?"

"Yeah!"

"You've just been proved right! TC got incoming!"

The rest of the frantic drive was done in absolute silence. No-one in either van knowing what the hell they should say. Their only concern was getting back in time so that their home wouldn't be left helpless.

Just as the vans screeched into TC, several black vans were pulling up out of side streets behind them. Meg and Zane, the X5 driving the other van, raced the vans into the parking bay to give their passengers as much cover as possible.

Once everyone was out, they reversed them to form a semi barricade and dove out the other side.

"Children of Manticore!" came the chilling voice of Ames White from the front gates.

Peeking around their protective barricade, they saw White and his Familiars had blocked the exits with their own vans, not that anyone was planning running.

"Prepare to die!" White called again.

"Suck my dick!" shouted someone from an upper floor window.

Max felt nervous, proud and excited all at the same time. Her people were standing up to White and his little gang of Familiar scum and she knew that even now, her family were preparing for war, not just battle but an outright war, a war they had all been bred for.

White laughed. For some reason, it gave Max a chill down her spine. He turned to one of his followers and pointed to the nearest truck.

"Unleash the pets!"

The man White had pointed at raced over to the truck, unlocked the doors and then, to the shock and worry of all TC residents, ran for his life.

Max knew her eyes were widening and the fear was rising but she forced the feeling back down and stepped forward for a better look. Following her lead, several of the others also moved closer.

Suddenly, someone in the building above them was shouting, no, they were screaming.

"_REAPERS!_" they screamed. "They've got Reapers!"

Someone else was also shouting. "Run! We'll cover you!"

"Get out of there! Their coming!" screamed another.

Left with no other option, the TC residents still on ground level, fled for their lives. Seven rabid Reapers had leapt out of the Familiars van and already mauled one Transhuman who didn't move fast enough.

Grabbing Max by the wrist and racing up the nearest stairs, Alec grabbed a cell phone from his pocket. The second it opened, it was ringing.

"_That was quick!"_

"How fast can you get to Terminal City?" Alec screamed.

"_Wow! What's up, 494?"_

"We're under attack!"

"_So? You're soldiers! Take care of it!"_

"By Reapers!"

"_We're on our way!"_

Alec dropped the phone as he and Max tore through the roof access door and came face to face with a hundred rifles. Luckily for them, their family was in full soldier mode and recognised them _before_ they opened fire.

Someone on another rooftop was shouting. It was Meg. "Feral Infusion!" she was yelling to everyone who could hear her. "It's the only way!"

Alec scanned the area and saw all his family, hiding on the rooftops, ready to fight. Several on each roof were shouting back to Meg.

"Terracotta!" they called as one.

"Terracotta!" shouted Alec, moving Max behind him.

A group of Familiars burst through the roof door just as Alec brought the memory of Rachel's death to his mind. He felt the beast within him rising, taking over, screaming for blood and he let it come.

Within seconds, a familiar lay dead at his feet but Alec wasn't done yet. He and his beast were finally one, just as Meg had told him would happen. It raged with a primal fury and obeyed his every command. _Don't let them reach Max!_ he told it silently.

All around him, battle raged, Mole was struggling with a Familiar of his own. That was, until he got the upper hand and launched him off the side of the roof, a sickening thud signalling another Familiar down.

"That roof!" White's voice echoed from below. "I want 452! Bring her to me!"

Alec's beast growled furiously at hearing that. It told him that Reapers were coming. Coming for Max. No way was he going to let that happen and his beast agreed.

***

Suddenly, the van blocking the main gate, exploded. Max heard White screaming with rage and moved closer to see if the evil son of a bitch had been hurt, she hoped he had but when she saw him picking himself up and dusting himself off, she growled.

A small black car burst through the flames and skidded to a halt just outside the parking bay. "494!" a hoarse voice called. "494! Where are you buddy?"

Hearing the word 'buddy', Max realised they were here to help. She waved to the two men who were now beating the crap out of a Familiar who had got in their way.

"Up here!" she screamed, hoping they could hear her over the gunfire. "He's up here!"

One of the men stopped what he was doing as his friend broke the Familiar in half. He looked directly at Max and his jaw dropped.

"452?!"

The other man turned and also looked up.

"What?" he shouted.

"It's 452! It's Max! She's in here!"

They both yelled as loud as they could.

"Stay where you are, 452! We're here to help you!"

Then as fast as lightening they were racing toward the stairwell.

A shot fired up at her, from White, made Max duck back from the edge. A Familiar grabbed her by the throat as she backed away. Only to have his own throat ripped out by the raging Alec, still in full blown beast mode.

Alec felt strange, he was desperate to protect Max and the rest of his family but he could feel his beast slipping away. He tried to hold on to it, but it was no use. He collapsed to his knees, only to be dragged out of the way by Max. Moving him just in time to dodge a bullet from a Familiars gun.

Looking around them, Max and Alec could tell they were losing. Reapers were now on every roof and were devastatingly brutal in their assault. Mole, Joshua _and_ two more Transhumans were desperately trying to hold one back, to keep it away from Max, their ultimate target. Familiars were swarming all over the place.

Max knew they couldn't hold out much longer.

Suddenly, the cavalry showed up. Spike ripped apart several Familiars as he ploughed toward Max and Alec. Alpha approached the Reaper the Transhumans were holding at bay.

"Stand Down Soldier!" he shouted in it's face.

The Reaper looked at Alpha as though it didn't recognise him. It growled lowly and bared it's fangs at him.

"Oh no you don't!" shouted Alpha, slapping it across the face. "Hades! Stand Down!"

Suddenly, the Reaper sat down. It just stopped attacking and sat down where it was, grinning happily at Alpha.

"That won't last long!" whispered Spike as he reached Max and Alec.

"Alpha can only delay orders. We need Omega if we wanna stop them!"

"So go get her!" shouted Max.

"Would if I could! Believe me!" replied Spike.

"What do you mean?" asked Max, careful to keep her voice down.

Spike sighed. "Omega was given a code gold mission. By the big man himself! We don't know where she is!"

"He does!" shouted Alpha as he tore apart a Familiar trying to get on to the roof.

"Who?" shouted Spike. "Wait a sec!" he added as he threw a Familiar that got too close, off the edge of the roof.

"494!" shouted Alpha again. "She told him!"

"Who did?"

"_SHE_!"

Spike snapped the neck of another Familiar then crawled back over to Alec and Max.

"Where is she? We _need_ her!"

"I don't know!" shouted Alec.

"But _she_ told you!" shouted Alpha, ordering Hades to stand down again.

"Don't you get it!" shouted Spike. "Omega's gold mission!" he turned away and broke yet another Familiar in half. "It was the protection of 452! From Father himself!"

Max gasped and clung tightly to Alec.

"_She_!" she whispered. "_Rayna_!"

Alec, suddenly understanding, shot to his feet and filled his lungs. "VALHALLA!"

"_YES_!" roared Spike triumphantly. He shot to his feet and grabbed several Familiars at once, he snapped two in half and threw them and the still intact others off the roof.

A growl began to emanate from one of the other roofs. The growl grew louder and louder until it was a deafening roar. The fighting instantly stopped as everyone was forced to cover their ears. Everyone except the Reapers, they were bouncing around like kids in a candy store.

"Mommy's home!" squealed Spike ecstatically.

"452!" shouted Alpha. "Stand up! She needs to see where you are!"

Max, still covering her ears, rose to her feet.

_To be continued…_


	10. Chapter 10

**********Disclaimer: I do NOT own Dark Angel. I DO own the Reapers and all other new characters featured in this story.**

**Chapter Ten**

"TUEOR QUATTOUR QUINQUE DUO!" (Protect Four Five Two!)

The roar had taken shape into an order. "REPELLO FAMILIARIS!" (Repel Familiars!)

Max looked around as the battle scene changed before her very eyes. The Reapers, who had been happily slicing their way through her family, were now turning on their Familiar masters. The Familiars were running and screaming and fleeing for their lives.

***

"I'm here Baby!" shouted Spike, standing beside Max. "Come get some!"

Max looked at him strangely. "Pardon?" she felt compelled to ask.

Spike twisted slightly and grinned at her. "What?"

"Baby? Come get some?" replied Max.

"What?" asked Spike again. "Omega's my mate!"

Alec, hearing that, was on his feet and quickly standing beside Max and Spike.

"_You're _mate?"

"Yeah!" grinned Spike. "Alpha's her brother! I'm her mate! Problem?"

Alec smiled and shook his head. Max just leaned closer in to Alec's arms.

Alpha grabbed a Familiar as they tried to escape.

"Hades!" he shouted. Hades was instantly in front of him. Itching for a chance to rip the Familiar apart. "No!" stated Alpha. "This one's Omega's! Go get your own!"

With that, and a eerily happy growl, Hades took off down the stairwell. Alpha turned around to face them. "Don't worry, she'll be here in a minute."

"A minute?!" laughed Spike. "Look behind you!"

"She's done it again, hasn't she?"

"Yup! That's my girl!" grinned Spike.

Max and Alec could do nothing but stare as a figure suddenly leapt from one roof top to theirs. She landed hard on top of the stairwell access and growled loudly.

"Hey Baby!" called Spike.

The growl turned to a purr and the deadly looking figure leapt off the stairwell and landed at Max's feet.

As she stood up, Max and Alec both gasped loudly.

Before them, now with flowing black hair and ice blue eyes, not to mention slightly taller than before, was Meg!

"Meg?" Max was stunned. "_You're_ Omega?!"

Omega laughed loudly. "Damn straight!"

"But? How?" stammered Alec.

Spike was tired of conversation, and waiting, he wrapped his arms around Omega and the two kissed passionately. Alpha, still holding the dangling Familiar, walked over to Max and Alec.

"You'll have to forgive them! They've been apart for three years you know!"

Max was still staring at Omega.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you. They won't like it!"

"So," Alec cut in, snapping Max out of her staring. "You're Omega's brother?"

"Yip! Second in command of the unit and real happy to have _my_ family back!"

"The Familiars had your pack!" stated Max, finally joining the conversation.

"That's why we took _him_. We were trying to get them back. They go kind of nuts if their left on their own for too long." smiled Alpha.

The Familiar in Alpha grip started wriggling again, trying to escape. Alpha glared at him.

"Oh, yeah! Forgot you were there. Sorry." He grinned at Max and Alec. "Wont be long!"

Alpha, with struggling Familiar in hand, walked over to Omega and Spike.

"Sorry to interrupt guys! But… Got you a present, Sis!"

Spike glared at Alpha but Omega was grinning. Her eyes instantly fixed on the familiar.

"That's not White!" she growled lowly.

"Oh! It's not? Oh well, my mistake, he must be still down there somewhere!"

Alpha dangled the Familiar over the edge of the roof as he spoke and let him go when he finished. "Shall we go get him then?"

Omega turned to her Transgenic friends still on the roof tops. "You all stay up here! Me and mine are on this! White's _mine_!" she growled.

She whispered something to Spike just before she and Alpha disappeared down the stairwell. Spike was grinning from ear to ear. He turned to Max and Alec and his grin widened.

"You want front row seats to why Reapers are so scary?"

Max couldn't believe what she was hearing, either could Alec, but still, they were racing down the stairwell after Spike to witness the end of Ames White. They heard him shouting as soon as their feet touched the ground.

"Get back! Get back you, _freak_!"

Spike grinned to Max and Alec.

"Oh, yeah! Annoy the ultimate killing machine why don't you!"

He was so proud of his mate.

Alpha appeared beside them. "You want first blood, Max?"

Max remembered all her family lost at the hands of White, the bomb he had put in Alec's neck but also Ray, White's son. That reminded her of how brutally White had murdered his own wife, who's only crime had been trying to get her son back.

She walked toward White, all his evil deeds playing over in her head. She was so lost in her thoughts and hatred for the man that she didn't see the gun in his hand. White grinned at her and the gun exploded toward her.

"NOOO!" screamed Alec as he saw the bullet flying toward Max.

"Yes!" shouted White. "She's coming with me!"

"NOOO!" came another scream.

This time it was Meg. She threw herself in between Max and the bullet. It hit her in the centre of the chest.

"Dammit!" shouted White as he aimed the gun again. "One down though!" he grinned.

"Wanna bet!"

White was stunned and the colour was draining away from his face as he watched on in horror as Meg picked herself up and brushed away what should have been a kill shot. Meg grinned at him, an evil glint in her eye.

"Name's Omega! Pleased to kill you!"

"What?" shouted White. "No! You _can't_ be!"

"Oh! But she _is_!" came nine voices speaking as one.

White looked around and found himself surrounded by all ten Reapers. All of them looking at him hungrily, with anger and blood lust in their eyes. They had just witnessed his attempted murder of their leader and they had no intention of letting that go unpunished.

Spike looked over at Max. "You okay?"

"Yes. Thanks!"

"Don't thank me, I didn't do it!"

"You showed up didn't you?!"

"Hey! That's what family's for!" Spike smiled and glanced around at the TC population that was gathering around them.

"You're all fuckin' _animals_!" screamed White.

"Maybe!" shouted Max. "And everyone knows, you _never_ attack a pack!"

Omega looked over at Max and smiled. "May we?"

Max nodded. "He's never going to leave us alone! He wants us all dead!"

"Or experimented on!" added Alec.

"Oh _REALLY_!" Spike was furious. He marched straight up to White.

"Tell me something. If you'd got your hands on Omega, Would you have set your lab rats on her? Picked her apart? Found out what her insides look like and what makes her tick?"

"In a heart beat!" White said and spat on Spike.

Spike punched him hard, in the face. White's lip and nose burst open, splattering Spike's jeans in his blood. Spike grabbed him by the hair, forced his head back and, teeth bared, growled threateningly in White's face.

"_Nobody_ touches Omega!"

Max started to feel sick. This show was getting a little too detailed for her liking.

"Finish him off. Then get him and his Familiars out of TC. We don't like garbage!"

"You heard her, boys!" Omega's voice was cold.

***

Never in his entire life had Ames White felt fear.

It was the moments just before his death that this particular emotion decided to rear its ugly head and possess his very soul.

He went down into the black void, screaming and wetting his pants.

***

It took several hours for TC to be finally rid of all traces of the attack. It was lucky, in a way, that it had all happened under the cover of darkness.

As the residents emerged from their homes, or places of hiding, TC was exactly as it had been the previous day. The Reaper unit had left no traces of violence. Even the exploded van had vanished.

Max, who had stayed in the control room with the rest of chiefs of staff, came out to survey the damage and plan on repairs, only to find it all done.

A large white box had been found, pinned to the front gate. Mole had discovered it on his morning patrol and brought it straight to Max.

Max called a mass meeting in the Grand Hall and opened it in front of everyone.

Inside the box was a cell phone and a letter.

_My dearest friends,_

_I would like to thank you all for the respect and acceptance you showed me in the years I was with you. I only wish I could have told you the truth of who I was. However, my mission was to protect Max, not expose my identity. I truly am sorry for lying to you all. With your help, I have not only been reunited with my family but see you all as my family too._

_We have to leave now. I wish it was otherwise but my mission is not yet complete. Max will never be truly safe until the threat of the Breeding Cult is no more. So I have taken my pack in hunt of them._

_However, should you ever need us. Use the phone with this letter. Spike has modified it so that you can reach us no matter where we go._

_I sincerely hope, that once we are truly free to be a people, a nation, a species, that there will be a place in your community for my family._

_Omega._

A sigh echoed around the room as everyone took in the letter and it's hope filled words.

Max put the letter back in the box and handed it to Alec who closed it and set it on a small table at the rear of the stage.

"What do you say?" called Max to her TC fellow residents. "When they return, do we welcome them back? Do we let them join our family?"

Silence.

Max turned and looked to Alec for support. He stepped up beside her and took her hand in his.

"I always liked Meg!" he said to the crowd. "She looked after us all, taught us skills Manticore never wanted us to learn and fought beside us in our darkest hours. I say YES!"

"I say YES!" shouted Mole from the base of the steps. "So what if she's a Reaper! She's on our side and one of _us_!"

Heads started nodding around the room.

Suddenly, a cheer broke out. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" they chanted.

Max smiled. Reapers weren't the big bad Manticore bogeymen after all, they were just soldiers forced to do horrible things, just like the rest of them. And, one of them, the supposed biggest, baddest one of them all, had been one of her best friends.

"Alec." Max said quietly as a party type atmosphere broke out in the Grand Hall.

"Yes Max." He smiled.

"Take me home!"

"What about Logan? Aren't you _with_ him?" he asked cautiously.

"I'm with _you_!" she smiled. "If you'll have me?"

"I say YES!" grinned Alec.

Max smiled and almost giggled as Alec leant closer and kissed her. Their kiss, witnessed by the entire population of TC, grew into a heated embrace.

"Get a room!" someone shouted.

"Thanks!" Max shouted back. "I think we will!"

**THE END**


End file.
